Scars
by MegElizabeth
Summary: Sydney finds help, via Sark
1. Default Chapter

INTRODUCTION

  


"Andrew," she purred, "I've seen the way you've been looking at me. Stop fighting this," she finished, rubbing her hand over his cheek, her other hand stroking his chest. He closed his eyes at her caress, summoning the strength to resist another one of her advances.

"Sydn...Julia," he corrected himself quickly, shaking his head, his blue eyes piercing her own, "We can't do this. I cannot...no, I will not take advantage of you while you are like this!" he yelled, pulling away from her. She shook her head in disgust, removing her hands from his body to gesture at her own.

"Like what? I'm perfectly fine, and you know it!" she yelled. He shook his head, moving to push her against the wall. She smiled, licking her lips in expectation.

"Now that's more like the man I remember from the other night," she whispered. He placed his finger over her lips, silencing her.

"I wasn't myself that night," he said.

"Well then who were you?" she demanded, her voice raising. He silenced her again.

"Shh," he said, kissing the corner of her mouth softly, "They're always listening," he whispered.

"Who?" she asked, rolling her eyes, but remaining attentive nonetheless.

"You know bloody well who I'm talking about," he said, glancing down at her lips. She was so beautiful...if only...he shook his head. She smirked, reading his thoughts.

"Why don't you just do it?" she asked, moistening her lips again. His eyes blazed, obviously conflicted. He shook his head.

"I can't. You're not the woman I love," he blurted, then flushing after his admission.

"Oh? And who is?" she demanded, jealousy visible in her brown eyes.

"Sydney Bristow," he whispered, taking a moment to check if anyone was listening.

"Who is she?" she asked. He hesitated.

"She's you," he whispered, leaning closer to her. Her eyes widened considerably, her stoic mask fading into a mass of contradictions. Only for a moment though. In an instant her game face was present once again.

"What in the world are you going on about?" she demanded, "My name is Julia Thorne. I was born in London. My parents are..." 

He silenced her by stroking her face again. She visibly responded to his touch.

"Don't you hear yourself? You're spouting out information like a bloody robot! They've programmed you Sydney," he said, eyes blazing.

"I'm not Sydn..." she began.

"Shut up," he interrupted, kissing her squarely on the mouth. The kiss was fierce, and his hands traveled over her shoulders, to her face and through her hair in record time. He closed the space between them, pinning her against the wall. She responded with equal fervor as her hands raked over his back and chest. She was lost in the taste of him, the feel of him, until memories flashed through her head.

This was Sark. "Andrew" was an alias. He was her enemy. And this enemy was holding her against a wall. His hips were pressed into her body and her legs were entangled in his own. This really bothered her. And, why was he kissing her?

She pushed him way, wiping her mouth as he fell back against the opposite wall of the hallway.

"What do you think you're doing Sark?" she demanded, her eyes blazing. Sark only smirked, his blue eyes dancing.

"Sydney, love...I've missed you..." he said, as his face faded into nothingness.


	2. Chapter One

  


Sydney's eyes snapped open as the recurring dream came to an end. For two weeks, she had been bombarded with different dreams involving the object of her hatred: Sark.

She rubbed her eyes as her mind began to panic. Her fear grew when she realized that Will's naked body was next to hers on the bed. She placed her left hand on her forehead, the events of the fortnight flashing through her memory like a bad movie.

Why had she gotten drunk? She was so lonely, and Will just happened to be the only man she had ever really trusted...

Oh God.

She felt like she was going to vomit. She could taste the bile rising in her throat. She stood up quickly, completely forgetting her state of nakedness. She rushed toward the bathroom, throwing open the door, and kneeled in front of the toilet, her stomach ridding itself of its contents.

When she was through, she stood up slowly, moving to stand in front of the sink. She turned on the water, allowing the cool liquid to wash over her hands, then splashing it over her face. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at her reflection hesitantly. Her hair was disheveled, and her face and eyes were flaming red. 

She stared herself in the eye, shocked at the sudden memory of being Julia Thorne.

Her hair had been long, layered and blonde, her eyes still a fiery, vivid dark brown. Her face had been stoic, as she was trained to feel no pain, no emotion...no remorse. She shook her head. She hated these new memories. All she could remember were feelings. No specific events, just the feelings, or lack thereof, that she had as Julia Thorne.

She could still remember Sark's face from her dream. He had looked defeated, weak at first, something she had never seen the terrorist display. At the same time though, he was determined, his eyes maintaining their all-too-familiar mischievous gleam. His eyes were filled with a mass of contradictions. Determination...Fear...Sadness....Concern...

She rubbed her face again. What did this all mean? Why was Sark appearing in her dreams? Were these memories from actual events that occurred during her missing years? Hadn't Sark been in CIA custody during her hiatus? If these weren't memories, why would she be envisioning Sark in such a different, endearing light?

She shook her head, suddenly remembering the mission at hand. Just as quickly, an idea sprang into her mind, and she ran to wake up Will.

  


*****

  


Sark struggled to hide his smirk, only to fail miserably. It was just too fun. Sydney reached for the cube tentatively, only to have it taken from her grasp. He peered through the hole he hade made only moments ago, watching as she recognized his presence. Her scowl was completed expected, but the wicked smile that followed was not. He shook his head, realizing she had, for only a moment, looked like Julia Thorne once again.

He did not falter. He grabbed the cube and was soon racing back through the corridor, finding that he really did not care that Allison had turned to run in the other direction. His breathing became heavier when he picked up the pace, for one reason only: Sydney Bristow's heels were clicking in rapid time as she pursued him. She closed in on him, and only one thought entered his mind. How could she run in those blasted things? Of all the mysteries in this world he was immersed in, that was really all he desired to know.

He groaned in pain as her foot connected with his lower back, sending him crashing into a door. He shook his head, immediately springing to his feet. He ducked his head several times, blocking a series of kicks and punches she threw in his direction. His lack of exuberance in terms of hitting her back did not go unnoticed by Sydney.

"Of all the things you've done, now you can't hit a girl?" she asked, between deep breaths and the punches she threw at him.

"What can I say..." he began, grunting when her fist connected with his jaw. He turned back to her, rubbing the area slowly, "I'm a changed man."

She snorted but remained still, obviously exhausted. She placed her hands on her hips, her eyes searching his cerulean eyes. Neither spoke for a moment as they engaged in a staring contest of sorts. He smirked again, irritating her. She sighed loudly.

"What?" she demanded, "Just what about this situation amused you so much?" 

He laughed out loud, and Sydney was more irritated as she realized how wonderful his laughter sounded. He shook his head, his laughs fading into a soft chuckle.

"I was just admiring your dress. You're certainly a knockout," he said, his eyes glancing up and down her body. She remembered how short her dress was, her face flushing instantly. She shook her head, clearing her throat loudly and lifted her gun, pointing it directly in his face. He laughed again.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Sark. Give me the box," she said forcefully. His eyes danced, mocking her.

"I just want to know where you hide your gun," he said, glancing over her dress again. She shook her head, disgusted, narrowing her eyes.

"Shut up!" she spat, "Just give me the box!"

"It's a cube, Miss Bristow," he said calmly, waving it in front of her face.

She let out a scream, pouncing on him. Her rage clouded her judgement, and within moments Sark had acquired her gun, and had it trained on her forehead.

"Now you see, Miss Bristow, what a temper like yours leads to? Unnecessary grief. Absolutely unnecessary," he paused, smirking, "Now, be a good little CIA agent and come with me," he said, reaching for her elbow, which she promptly pulled away.

"No way! You're insane! I'm not going anywhere with you!" she yelled, pointing her finger in his face. His face grew serious, and he pulled her to him in one swift moment, twisting her arm behind her back. He pushed the gun into the side of her head, smirking again.

"I have the gun Miss Bristow. You're coming with me," he said, forcing her to walk out the door with him.

"Will will come for me," she spat, groaning as he twisted her arm further as they walked toward his vehicle.

"I highly doubt that. He's nothing but a second-rate analyst," he said, laughing.

"Who's gonna kick your girlfriend's ass," Sydney snapped. He slammed her up against the passenger side of his car, his breath warm against her face.

"Allison is of no consequence to me. She's merely been a means to an end," he said, flashing his radiant smile at her.

"You're such a jerk," she spat, attempting to turn her eyes away from his constant gaze. He instantly placed his hands on her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. She gasped, amazed at the familiarity of their position...

"I could've made you take off that delicious dress of yours. I'm not so bad," he said, winking at her, and then releasing her only to open the door, shoving her inside.

She groaned as she climbed over her, not willing to allow her the chance to escape. As he settled into the driver's seat, gun still pointed in her direction, she looked at him venomously.

"You disgust me," she spat.

He only smirked as he turned the key in the ignition, started the car, and put it into drive.


	3. Chapter Two

  


Sark wore a half smile on his face as he watched her sleeping peacefully in his hotel room. He had decided a long time ago that Sydney was the only woman who could induce that look on his face. The crime world was fast-paced, rapid...cutthroat. It was quite a change to sit in this armed chair and watch this beautiful woman as she breathed in and out.

In and out.

In and out.

Damn, she was so beautiful.

He hated feeling this way about her. Things were much easier when she was merely his adversary. Who was he kidding? This woman wasn't merely anything. She was everything. The truth was, everything had changed when they were taken by the Covenant.

He slapped his hands over his face, shaking his head in defeat. He would have to tell her what her precious CIA had neglected to tell her, and he would have to do it soon.

While he was lost in thought, Sydney had begun to stir. When she noted who her companion was, she decided immediately not to freak out. Sure, she was trapped in a room with an assassin. But this assassin happened to be plaguing her dreams. If she wanted answers, she had better play nice.

"Hey," her voice interrupted her thoughts. He looked over to her, to see her stretching out, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes grew wide and she sat up slowly.

"What am I doing in your bed?" she asked, crossing her arms. He smirked.

"I don't know. You tell me," he asked, raising an eyebrow. She smiled. Then, something completely surprising happened. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" he asked, pretending to be offended. She threw her legs over the bed, sitting up completely.

"You are," she said, smiling at him. Her eyes grew wide when she took in his facial expression; a completely sincere half-smile. "You're actually very funny. A pain in the ass, but funny." 

He laughed and she joined in, but soon they were sitting in silence once again, staring at one another. Sydney was the first to break the silence.

"Sark?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to tell me the truth. I can't believe I'm even asking this of you, because God knows you've probably never been honest a day in your life...but this time, I need you to be." He stared at her for a moment in stunned silence. He cleared his throat, nodding slowly.

"Okay," he said finally. She didn't hesitate.

"We were together during those two years weren't we?" she asked quietly, "That's why I don't have the urge to kill you right now. Things have changed between us, and I can't even remember." He watched in silence as she lowered her eyes to the floor, and he stood up slowly, walking over to the bed to sit next to her. He sighed loudly, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"We were together," he said.

"How?" she asked quickly, throwing her hands up in the air. "You were in CIA custody."

He hesitated, not wanting to reveal the CIA's closely guarded secret, but when he looked in her eyes, he knew he could no longer lie to her.

He was sick of lies.

He sighed loudly, putting a hand over his face.

"Sydney," he said quietly, "I wasn't in CIA custody the entire time." Her eyes widened, but she did not speak. She only waited for his next statement.

"Somehow, and I have no idea how, the Covenant sprang me out of prison. They used me, just like they used you," he said. She looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean they used us? How?" she asked, searching his eyes.

"Let me ask you something first Sydney. Do you remember anything from that time period?" he asked. She cleared her throat, hesitant to reveal that all she could remember about those two years were moments with him.

"I remember you," she said tentatively, looking toward the floor again. He waited for her to continue.

"I was so angry with you last night for stealing the cube. When I came after you, I resolved to forget what I had remembered, and just do business as usual. But I couldn't get it out of my mind..." she trailed off.

"Get what off your mind? Sydney, what did you remember?"

"I've been having dreams Sark. They've been plaguing me for the past two weeks. I've only been back a month. I can't keep living like this," she said, rubbing her hand over her forehead. He reached up, pulling her hand away from her face, taking it in his own.

"Sydney," he whispered, " I need you to tell me what you remember, so I can help you be rid of these dreams." She snorted.

"What?" he asked. She smiled at him.

"First I want to know what you've been doing. Why were you helping the Covenant? If we were together, as you say we were, then why have you been helping the enemy?"

"I shouldn't have to lecture you on the truth Sydney. You and I both know nothing is at it seems," he said. When she remained silent, waiting for him to elaborate, he sighed loudly.

"When the Covenant took me out of your custody only a few weeks ago, they took me to a vault, where I gave them access to my inheritance," he stopped for a moment, and she nodded for him to continue, "They gave me two options - death or employment. The second choice was obviously more appealing," he said.

"So you have been working for them? Why?"

"They've always considered me an asset, just as they considered you an asset," he paused, looking at her pointedly, "Sydney the only way we can take down such a powerful organization is from the inside. The only way you can destroy them is with my help," he finished. She sighed loudly.

"You're the last person I would have ever chosen to help me," she said.

"Well, guess we're stuck," he said, smirking at her, "I didn't know at the time of my reentry into the Covenant, but Allison was working for them the entire time. She lied to me, about everything. She claimed she was loyal to Sloane, but was not. I was royally pissed. I decided that if lies were what our relationship was based on, we might as well continue in the tradition..."

"And?" she asked. 

"I decided to use her. She's a cold-blooded killer, but she can't boast intelligence. She told me everything...every operation the Covenant was working on."

"What are they working on?" she asked, her eyes growing wide. He squeezed her hand, and proceeded to grab the other one, alarming her for a moment.

"Before I tell you that information, you need to tell me about those dreams you've been having Sydney. That's the only way I can tell you what truly happened," he said, his eyes filling with concern. She didn't know why, but suddenly she understand why she had trusted him, possibly even loved him as Julia Thorne. She shook the thought.

"Well..." she began, "the most vivid one is of you and I, standing together in a hallway. Much as I am embarrassed to say this, I was..." she trailed off.

"What? You were what?"

"I was propositioning you," she said, her eyes leaving his, but immediately back on his face when she heard his sudden laughter.

"This is not funny," she said, her cheeks flushing.

"I'm sorry Sydney. I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at the memory of it, that's all," he said. Her eyes widened.

"So it is a memory? It actually happened?"

"Oh yes, it did indeed. Quite a few times actually," he said. He watched as she contemplated that for a moment.

"Sark..."

"Yes?"

"Please don't take this personally, but why was I coming onto you? Isn't it usually the other way around?" she asked. He smirked, rubbing his thumb against the outside of her hand.

"Yes, usually. This wasn't a normal circumstance," he said, his voice becoming quiet. 

"Sark...what happened to us?" she demanded suddenly, her eyes welling with tears. He looked at the floor, his own eyes becoming clouded. He took his right hand and wiped his eyes, not wanting her to see him in this way. When all was clear, he looked at her again, and wiped tears from her face. Instead of the usual disgust she felt at his touch, she felt comfort.

"It's simple, really. We were brainwashed Sydney. The Covenant stole our lives, our identities, our memories...they turned us into two completely different people."


	4. Chapter Three

  


"It's simple, really. We were brainwashed Sydney. The Covenant stole our lives, our identities, our memories...they turned us into two completely different people."

  


*****

Will stepped back from Allison Doren, her body laying in a pool of blood. He was in a state of shock.

This woman had killed Francie.

Beautiful, innocent, sweet Francie.

She hadn't deserved this.

Allison did.

The woman had killed the woman he loved, and had lived undercover with other woman he would always love...

Sydney.

Where was she?

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He pulled the phone out of pants, and opened it slowly.

"Tippin," he answered, walking in the direction that Sydney had gone.

"Will," Michael Vaughn said urgently, "Where's Sydney?"

"Vaughn, hey man," he said, still walking, "I don't know. She ran after Sark. I'm looking for her now."

"Alright...what about Allison? Was she there?" Vaughn asked. Will sighed.

"She was," Will answered flatly.

"Was?" Vaughn inquired.

"She's dead. I killed her," Will answered. 

Silence.

"Okay, Will you need to call an ambulance. We need to make sure she's dead this time," Vaughn answered. Will turned around the corner to where an exit door was, nodding slowly.

"Trust me man, she's dead," Will said. He halted when he recognized something on the floor. Vaughn noted the silence.

"What? What is it?" he asked. Will leaned down to the floor, picking up a black object.

"Will?" Vaughn asked again, more urgency in his tone.

"It's Syd's wig," he said, pausing, "She's gone."

  


*****

  


Sydney's eyes widened at his admission.

"You too?" she whispered, her eyes spilling over with tears. He wiped them away again, not bothering to wipe away the tears forming in his own eyes. He sighed, changing position in order to take her into his arms, his left arm draped over her shoulders. He allowed her to sob, her shoulder shaking against his embrace. 

It broke his heart.

The sight of the agent who could compartmentalize with the best of them.

Sobbing like a child.

In his arms.

That meant something to him; it meant a great deal to him that she had chosen to break down in his presence. He had seen her crying before of course, in surveillance photos that Irina's men had taken, but he had never seen it in person.

Now he understood why it had always hurt Irina, seeing Sydney so sad.

Her hurt, her pain, was so real, it transferred to his own heart. He felt it. Not just because he had been through everything she had been through, but because she was so innocent, so pure, so beautiful. A woman as wonderful as Sydney should never have been subjected to this life.

He looked at her again, noting that her shoulders had stopped shaking so violently.

"You alright love?" he asked. She nodded, though he wasn't convinced. She took a deep breath, shifting her eyes to his face, noticing the tears that had fallen down his sculpted cheeks.

"I'm fine," she said, wiping her face, her eyes never leaving his.

"You have questions," he stated flatly. She smirked.

"Too many," she said, laughing ironically, looking toward the floor. He lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Ask me anything," he said. She considered this for a moment, wondering where to begin.

"How did the Covenant do this to you? How did they get you out CIA custody?" she asked. He removed his hand from her chin, putting it over his eyes for a moment.

"The Covenant intercepted a transmission about my being transferred to a remote prison in Nevada. They ambushed the officers who were assigned to transfer me and took me into their custody," he said.

"How long ago was this?" she asked. He thought for a moment, then removed his hand from his face, gazing in her eyes again.

"I would say approximately four or five months after you disappeared. In prison, you lose track of time," he said softly. She considered stopping her questions. Sark was displaying an uncharacteristic amount of emotion. Maybe this was too hard for the man. His eyes, and a small nod of his head, urged her otherwise. She sighed again.

"Where did they take you?" she asked.

"The same place they took you. A training facility in Russia. To this day, I can't remember which part of the country..."he trailed off.

"Sark...we can stop. I don't want you recalling something that is painful for you," she said. He squeezed her shoulder, smiling at her.

"Sydney, it's alright. I want to tell you. I knew what I was getting myself into when..." he trailed off.

"When what?" she demanded, "please. I need to know." He paused, then nodded.

It was time.

He cleared his throat, and stood up, reluctantly letting her go. He turned his back to her, staring out the window of his hotel room. He walked over to the window frame, placed both hands on it, and leaned against it.

"When I arrived at the facility, there were, I'd say, fifty or sixty other agents in training. You were one of them," he said, looking at back at her for a moment, before turning his eyes back to the skyline. 

"I don't know how I did it, but somehow I got to see you. You weren't yourself. You were already Julia. I don't know what they did to you, or how they did it, but they convinced you that you were someone else," he said, and suddenly he turned around, a smirk on his face.

"I remember thinking how disappointed I was that you weren't yourself. And not because I was concerned, but because I missed your contempt toward me. I missed the blatant hatred in your eyes. I missed it all really," he said, trailing off. She smiled despite the gravity of the situation, but her smile faded when his features became serious.

"I was an idiot Sydney. They tortured me for weeks. The details would disgust you...they disgust me, and I've seen many things in my lifetime," he paused, running a hand over his hair, "Anyway, I refused to work for them willingly, as I'm sure you did, so they forced me to work for them. They led me to a room and strapped me down to a table..." he trailed off, looking in her eyes.

"All I can remember are needles. Everywhere. They surrounded the table. The doctors gave me anesthesia and in seconds, I was out. That's the last thing I remember before..."

"Before what?" she asked, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Before they turned me into Andrew James," he said. She repeated the name silently, allowing it to sink into her mind. Her eyes widened.

"In the hallway. I...Julia...she called you Andrew," she said.

"Yes, that was my name...they convinced me that was who I really was," he said.

"Please, if you can, go on..." she trailed off, and he nodded.

"I can't remember the next year of my life. I imagine that I performed missions for the Covenant, though I have no recollection of anything. I would even say that you and I probably performed several missions together," he said. She stood up, moving to stand in front of him, her eyes searing his own.

"How did you escape?" she asked.

"It's ironic really. I ran into your mother on one of my missions. At least, that's what she tells me. I only remember seeing her after she snapped me out of my trance," he said, looking down.

"How did she do...how did she..." she trailed off. He smirked.

"How did she do it?" he asked. She nodded.

"She reminded me of who I was. I'm really not sure how. I'll have to ask her some day..." he trailed off, glancing at her again, "Anyway, she snapped me out of it, told me she knew that I had been in the Covenant's custody, and that she had recently discovered that you were there as well." Sydney gasped, but nodded for him to continue.

"She told me I had to go back...continue doing their work, act as if nothing had happened. She filled me in on the details of 'Andrew James' life. I went back with a new mission, a mission assigned to me by your mother," he said.

"And what was that?"

"I had to break through to you, turn you back into Sydney Bristow. Then, I had to take you to your mother. I did just that. She didn't want you to remember what had happened to you, why, I'm not sure. So, she called in a favor," he said, looking into her eyes.

"What kind of favor?" she asked quietly. He placed his hand on her cheek, mainly to give her strength to bear his next admission.

"She called a specialist she knew, a former KGB neurologist..." he trailed off, and her eyes at last displayed understanding, as tears formed in her brown orbs.

"She had your memories erased Sydney. She had two years completely wiped from your memory." 


	5. Chapter Four

  


"She had your memories erased Sydney. She had two years completely wiped from your memory."

  


*****

  


Jack Bristow came thrashing into the debrief room, slamming the door behind him. Vaughn, Lauren, Dixon, Weiss and Will all jumped at the sound. Jack immediately sauntered over to Will, pulling him up by the collar of his shirt. Vaughn and Weiss stood up, but halted when Jack's voice echoed through the room.

"Where the hell is my daughter Mr. Tippin?" he demanded, his face red.

"Jack...Mr. Bristow...I don't..." Will began, trying to catch a breath.

"You don't know, Mr. Tippin? Is that what you're trying to say? You were supposed to protect her!" he yelled. He released Will, sending him flying toward the table. Jack turned around slowly, his back to the rest of the agents in the room. He took a deep breath, sighing loudly.

"Jack, we're going to find Sydney. We have people working on it. All we can do is wait," Vaughn said, to which Jack turned around abruptly.

"Wait, Mr. Vaughn? Wait?! When you have a daughter, you will understand that waiting is not enough! I want her found, or I will pull together all my own resources and find her myself," he hissed in Vaughn's face. He stood for a moment, before turning to hastily exit the room. 

"Well," Will's voice broke the silence, as he straightened his shirt, "He's got anger issues."

Weiss snorted, but the rest of the room was silent.

  


*****

  


Sydney stepped back from Sark as his words sank in. She placed a hand over her mouth, muffling her next words.

"She what?" she whispered.

"She had..." Sark began.

"I heard you," Sydney raised her other hand, signaling him to stop, "I just can't believe it." She turned around, her back facing him, hiding the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. 

"Sydney," he said, stepping over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She didn't seem to notice, as she began to speak again.

"I don't get it. I don't get her at all. Why wouldn't she want me to remember what happened? I could have provided valuable intel to the CIA!" she yelled, turning to face him, her eyes angry.

"Sydney, I've been working for your mother for years, and I've never understood her motives. She knows what she's doing..." he began, stepping forward to touch her again. She stepped back again, her nostrils flaring.

"She knows what she's doing?" she yelled.

"Yes! It's all a part of the plan...though I'm not sure..." he began.

"Screw the plan! She had no right to do this to me!" Sydney yelled, "You let her do this to me! How could you do this?" 

She pulled back her left arm, punching him in the jaw, which sent him flying onto the bed. He rubbed his jaw in shock, but stopped when she pounced on top of him, straddling him with her legs. She sat over his abdominal area, screaming and throwing punches at his entire upper body.

Tears ran down her face as her punches began losing power, and his own eyes filled with tears at the sight of her breakdown.

"How could you?" she yelled, slapping him across the face, his chest, his abdomen. He let her. She needed to do this. She needed to take it out on someone, anyone...

"Sydney!" he yelled finally, grabbing her arms, which she tried to resist, but he did not let her. He lowered her onto his lap, sitting up to hug her tightly.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, sobbing into his arms, struggling to push him away.

"Shh," he said, as he stroked her hair. Her sobs decreased, as did the struggle to escape his embrace. He kissed her hairline, trying to ignore the close proximity between them. His legs were draped over the side of the bed, her legs entwined with his own. He held her tightly, his hands combing through her hair. Her sobs subsided, and she breathed in slowly.

"I'm so scared," she whispered, pulling back to look at him, her face inches from his own.

"I know. I'm sorry that you found out like..." he began, but the rest of his sentence was unheard, as her lips closed over his own. He, forgetting their present situation, responded with urgency, placing his hands on her face, allowing the kiss to deepen. She rubbed her hands over his chest, his back, and finally over his hair, pushing him down onto the bed. She got lost in the familiarity of his touch, of his scent, of the taste of him...

Suddenly, he was pulling away.

No, her mind screamed.

"Sydney," he gasped, "We can't do this. You're upset. I'm not going to take advantage of you." She gasped, standing up slowly, straightening the dress she had been wearing for two days. Embarrassment crept up her neck and face, as she turned red. 

"That's what you said before," she said, her eyes puffy and red as she stared at him.

"When?" he asked, sitting up.

"In the hallway," she whispered, turning away from him. He stood up, not allowing her to run. Not anymore.

"Sydney, we have to deal with this," he said.

"I don't want to talk about what just happened," she said, her eyes averting from his gaze.

"Frankly, neither do I," he said, sighing loudly, "I mean, we have to deal with all that happened to you...to us. We have to find out the truth." She wiped tears off her face, still unable to meet his eyes. She stared out the window.

"How do we do that?" she asked.

"There's only one person who can help us now," he said quietly, turning to follow her gaze. The city looked beautiful as the sun set over the mountains.

"Who?" she asked. He hesitated, his eyes remaining on the setting sun.

"Your mother."

  


*****

  


Jack Bristow sat in the darkness of his living room, staring out the window. He could not help but imagine where his daughter was. Sark had obviously taken her into his custody. But what had he done with her? Was she in the hands of the Covenant, or was Sark using her for his own twisted desires?

He was brought out of his reverie when his cell phone rang. He reached for it on the nearby coffee table, and his eyes filled with confusion when he didn't recognize the number. He opened the phone slowly.

"Hello?" he asked cautiously.

"Dad?" Sydney's voice came, and his eyes widened as he sat up in his chair.

"Sydney, sweetheart? Is it really you?" he asked, relief flooding through him.

"Yes dad. It's me. I'm okay," she said, sighing.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm..." her voice trailed off, and Jack recognized a voice in the background.

"Where did he take you Sydney?" he demanded, his voice rising.

"I'm with Sark, dad. We're going to see mom," she answered, her voice flat.

"Sydney, what are you talking about? You're not going on some pleasure trip with that bastard. You're coming home!" he yelled. 

"Dad, believe me, this is anything but a pleasure trip," she said, and Jack heard Sark chuckle softly, "Sark was taken by the Covenant too."

Jack paused. So, she knew. 

"Why didn't you tell me that he was taken out of CIA custody?" she asked quietly. Jack switched the phone to his other ear, a movement that could be attributed to his nervousness.

"I wasn't authorized..." Jack began.

"Not authorized to tell me? Dad, I'm your daughter. I deserved to know that he was taken by the Covenant," she said, interrupting him.

"Sydney, we didn't even know where he was until he came back to the CIA..."Jack began.

"Wait, what? He what?" Sydney asked, looking in Sark's direction.

"A week before you resurfaced, Sark turned himself into the CIA," Jack answered.

"You what?" Sydney yelled, obviously at Sark. Jack listened as he heard muffled sounds, and then a new voice.

"Mr.Bristow," Sark said. Jack could almost hear a smirk.

"Sark, what are doing with my daughter?" he demanded.

"I'm helping her. We're going to pay a visit to Derevko. She's the only one who can help us now..." he began.

"You bring Sydney home, this instant Sark, oh so help me, I will..." Jack began.

"What? Kill me? It's not like I haven't heard that one before Jack. We appreciate your concern, but we're adults, and we're going whether you like it or not," Sark answered.

"Sark..." he said, cut off by the sound of the dial tone.

"Bastard," he muttered, as he dialed Dixon's office.


	6. Chapter Five

  


Sydney couldn't put her finger on what she was feeling when she stepped out of the passenger side of Sark's Miati.

Anger?

Confusion?

Fear?

Yeah, that was certainly it. Fear. 

She certainly did not want to get close to her mother again, only to lose her, or be tricked by her once again. Sark recognized her fear when he noticed her reluctance to move from the car.

"Sydney," he said, and her eyes snapped to meet his.

"I can't do this Julian," she said, and he smiled at the use of his name. They had decided, on the way to her mother's home, that if they were working together, they should have some sort of familiarity.

"Sydney," he said again, grabbing her hand, "I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you."

"That's a lie," she spat, "you have to go back soon, or they'll suspect you." He only nodded, pulling her hand up to his mouth, placing a light kiss on her palm. He could've sworn she jumped at his touch, but decided to overlook it.

"Soon. Not now," he said, and he smiled at her, wrapping his arm around her waist, and led her to the door. Before he could lift his hand to knock, the door opened suddenly.

Sydney, along with Sark, was startled when her mother barreled out of door, wrapping Sydney in a tight embrace.

"Sydney, I've missed you..." Irina's voice trembled, and before another word was spoken, she led them both in the house, door shutting behind them slowly.

  


*****

"She's working with Sark?" Lauren Reed asked in amazement. She sighed loudly, throwing her hands up in the air, "And I thought I'd seen everything."

"Tell me about it. She's not thinking clearly," Michael Vaughn said, as he pulled his tie off after a long day at work. Lauren threw her keys on the table and moved to sit on their couch, removing her shoes and sitting back slowly. She groaned as she struggled to get comfortable, laying on the couch. Vaughn smiled at the sight, and stepped over, lifted her legs up, and sat beneath at the opposite end of the couch. As soon as he was seated, she draped her legs over his lap and he stroked them slowly, obviously in deep thought. Lauren watched him as they sat in silence, marveling at the wrinkles appearing on his forehead. Whenever he was worried, they became visible.

She sighed softly as she realized that Sydney was the object of his worries. She couldn't blame him though. He had been in love with the woman, who could fault him for that? She certainly couldn't.

"Michael?" she said softly, and he turned to her, his green eyes sparkling.

"Yeah honey?" he asked, leaning his head against the back of the couch. She maintained eyes contact, and sat up suddenly, cupping his face with her hands.

"She's going to be alright," she said simply. Tears welled in his eyes, as he remembered just why he had allowed himself to fall in love with Lauren Reed. He nodded slowly, smiling through his tears.

"Thank you," he said, and she moved to sit next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

  


*****

  


"Why do you have to go?" she whined, as he held both her hands in front of him.

"I must say Miss Bristow, I enjoy this sort of begging. Usually you'd be begging for your life..now you're begging me to stay. I obviously haven't lost my touch," he said, smirking. She snorted, then laughed out loud.

"Ah," he said, pointing at her, "Mission accomplished." They stood in silence for a moment, and he watched helplessly as a tear ran down her cheek.

"Hey, no tears now Bristow. Your mother is going to take care of you," he said, wiping the tear off her face. She smirked.

"That's what I'm afraid of," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Sydney," he said, his voice growing serious, "you're mother is guilty of a lot of things, but she loves you. She won't let anything happen to you."

"I know," she said, smiling. He cupped the side of her face in his hand and smiled genuinely at her, and she was surprised that her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

"I'll be back soon," he said, and turned around to leave, not able to say goodbye to her. He made his way down the corridor, but stopped when she called out his name.

"Julian!" she yelled, and he turned around slowly, thinking that she had never more beautiful than she did in this moment. They stood in silence, staring at one another for a few moments. Suddenly, she closed the space between them, pulling him into an embrace. His shock disappeared as he stroked her hair tenderly, wondering at how much had changed in the last week. A week ago, she had been throwing punches at him; now, he was her only ally.

"Please be careful," she said quietly, pulling away to look at him intently. He was mesmerized by her brown eyes, but somehow found the strength to flash a reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine," he said, smirking, "Soon, I'll be back annoying you as per usual, and you'll wish I was gone." She smiled sweetly, her eyes dancing, and he couldn't seem to allow himself to avert his eyes from her gaze.

"This is so strange. Not long ago I wanted to kill you," she said, laughing, "Now...I'm going to miss you." He laughed softly.

"I was just thinking that myself," he said, kissing her hand softly. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and she looked at him seriously.

"Come back to me Julian," she said, and, upon realization of the insinuation of the phrase, she added, "so we can find the truth." His eyes widened, and he nodded slowly.

"I'll be back soon," he said, and pulled her into another swift embrace. She pulled away slowly, and then did something that surprised them both. She kissed him squarely on the mouth, pulling away just as quickly as she had initiated it. His blue eyes displayed confusion, but danced nonetheless. He smiled, not wanting to ruin the unexpected moment by speaking. He only nodded again, kissed her on the corner of her mouth, and exited the house.

  



	7. Chapter Six

  


Irina knocked on her guest room door slowly, speaking in a soft voice.

"Sydney?" she asked tentatively, "Can I come in?"

Pause.

"Sure..." her daughter's voice answered, "Come in mom." 

Irina opened the door slowly, smiling at the sight of her daughter. She was truly a beautiful woman. She frowned, however, when she noticed the pallor of her daughter's normally bright face.

"Sweetheart," she said, moving to sit beside her daughter on the bed, lifting a hand to place it on Sydney's shoulder, "Are you alright?" Sydney smiled, shifting her position to look at her mother.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just haven't been feeling well," she said, rubbing her abdomen carefully.

"Stomach?" Irina asked, delighted that she was able to take care of her little girl. She had missed out on years of sore throats, cuts and scrapes. Sydney nodded.

"I've been throwing up all morning. It's been on and off for the last week. I just can't seem to shake it," she said, still rubbing her stomach. Irina only nodded, sinking into thought.

"What mom? What's wrong?" Sydney asked. Irina glanced back at her daughter, smiling softly.

"Nothing sweetheart. I'm just thrilled to be with you again. I've missed you terribly," Irina said.

"It has been nice," Sydney said, looking down at the floor.

"What is it Sydney?" Irina asked, squeezing her daughter's shoulder.

"I miss Julian," Sydney blurted, flushing at the admission.

"It's perfectly normal Sydney," Irina said, smiling knowingly. She had recognized the dramatic change in their relationship when Julian had been in her home.

"No, it's really not. He's my enemy mom," she said, looking at her mother.

"I'm technically your enemy too sweetheart," her mother said, and frowned when her daughter's eyes welled up with tears.

"Sydney, I've done a lot in my life that I deeply regret. So has Sark...Julian. We can't take back those things now. We can only pray that we can change, and that someday, we will be forgiven," Irina said, putting her hand on her daughter's cheek.

"I know," Sydney said, "I just wish I could remember why I feel so close to him...why, I feel the way I feel..." she trailed off.

"How do you feel Sydney?" Irina asked. Sydney sucked in breath, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I know that I need him here. I know that I need him to be alright," she whispered, and Irina pulled her into a hug.

"He'll be alright, sweetheart. He's a smart man. He can take care of himself. He's cocky because he has reason to be," Irina said, and Sydney laughed softly.

"I used to worry about your father when he went on missions," Irina said suddenly, and Sydney sat up, searching her mother's eyes for any sign of truth.

It was there. 

Irina smiled, staring out the window, remembering moments she had never quite forgotten.

"He could never tell me details, but I knew that he was risking his life. I don't think I've ever prayed so much in my life..." Irina said, her voice trailing off, as a tear ran down her cheek. Sydney took her mother's hand in her own, smiling softly.

"I was never supposed to fall in love with him Sydney," Irina whispered, her eyes meeting another pair so similar to her own. Sydney nodded, understanding what her mother was trying to say.

"Despite my blatant disregard for my orders from the KGB, I've never regretted a moment I spent with you and your father. I regret the lies. I regret the sudden exit from your lives. But, I'll never regret loving him," she said, smiling as Sydney pondered that thought.

"I'll leave you alone," Irina said, kissing her daughter's forehead, smiling as she exited the room. When she closed the door, she leaned her head against it, thankful for this second chance. She shook the thought quickly, as something Sydney had said resurfaced in her mind. She turned to walk to her office, for she had some calls to make.

  


*****

Julian was irritated. Oh wait, he forgot. Andrew James was irritated. This was the second time this week he was being called into his superior's office. All he wanted to do was work, so he could go home to Sydney.

Sydney.

He had not been able to contact her for two weeks now. He missed her laugh, her smile, her eyes...

God.

He was going soft.

Who was he kidding? He had always been soft. A large teddy bear behind the facade of a cold-blooded killer. He sighed at the thought of the beautiful Miss Bristow, and wondered what she was doing in that very moment...

"Mr. James?" a voice asked, and Julian looked up, remembering that he was operating under an alias.

"Yes?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Mr. Reeve will see you now," the man said, motioning for Julian to follow him. Julian stood up slowly, straightening his suit, and followed the man down the corridor. As they approached Reeve's office, Julian took a deep breath.

The lies were becoming harder to tell.

He took a breath, gathering all inner strength he could muster, and knocked on the door.

  


*****

  


Sydney had given up running for the phone. Every time it rang, she had sprinted to it, expecting to hear Julian's voice, only to be disappointed. When it rang this time, and she made no move to answer it, Irina looked at her in confusion. Sydney only shrugged, and Irina stood up to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" she asked, and smiled in Sydney's direction when a male voice answered her. Irina waved the phone in Sydney's direction, and her daughter's eyes brightened. Irina nodded, and laughed when Sydney rushed over to the phone, clearing her throat before she answered.

"Julian?" she asked, unable to hide her excitement.

"The one and only," his smooth voice answered, "Hello love." She sighed loudly, sitting on the couch.

"I'm so relieved to hear your voice. Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes and no," he answered, and she could hear that he was exhausted, "I'm so sorry it took me so long to get in contact with you. I just had to make sure the coast was clear. I'm under a lot of suspicion," he said. She bit her lip.

"What's going on?" she asked hesitantly.

"Well, they've sent me on a few missions. I just arrived back here this evening. Then, my superior wanted to meet with me..." he trailed off. Sydney sat up quickly.

"About what?"

"He proceeded to question me, my loyalty, and what happened when I ran into you at the hotel," he said, sighing.

"Oh God, does he suspect?" she asked frantically.

"I don't think so. I had to give him the cube. If I hadn't, he would have definitely suspected something was going on," he said, sighing again.

"You sound exhausted," she said quietly, looking down at the floor.

"I am," he said, "I want to be with you." Her eyes widened, and she felt tears forming in her eyes. 

"You will be. Soon," she said, attempting to give him strength.

"I know," he said, "I just miss you, is all." Silence. He could almost hear her smiling.

"I miss you too," she said, and then laughed, "There's no one hear to spar with. It really is quite boring." He laughed softly.

"You and your mother getting along alright?" he asked.

"Actually, yes. Very well," she said, and then paused, coughing loudly.

"You alright?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes, I've been a little sick for the past couple of weeks. No big deal," she said, brushing off his concern.

"You sure?" he asked again. She sighed.

"I'm sure," she answered, smiling at his concern.

"Sydney, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to go. I have to submit a report to my superiors," he said, hesitant to say goodbye.

"Oh...alright. Do you have any idea when you'll be back?" she asked. He sighed.

"I'm working on it, love. I'll be home soon."

"Okay..." she said.

"Goodbye Sydney," he said.

"Wait, Julian..." she said, trailing off.

"Yes?" he asked, relieved that she had not ended the call.

"Somehow, I know I love you. In some corner of my heart, and not just as Julia Thorne. I just wanted you to know," she said, breathing heavily after the admission. He remained silent, but she could almost see the look of surprise on his face.

"I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I feel the same Sydney," he answered quietly, "Goodbye love."

"Goodbye," she said, and when she heard the dial tone, she hung the phone up slowly.


	8. Chapter Seven

  


"Sydney," Irina said, knocking on the door of the bathroom, "Are you alright?"

The sound of a flushing toilet followed, and Sydney's voice answered softly,

"I'm fine."

"Honey, I think you should see a doctor," Irina said, "You've been sick for weeks." The bathroom door opened, and Irina gaped at her daughter's haggard appearance.

"Sydney, you look awful," she said. Sydney smirked.

"Thanks," she said sarcastically, moving to sit on the couch.

"Sydney, you need to see a doctor," Irina said.

"That's not necessary mother," Sydney said.

"I think it is," Irina said.

"And you're an expert?" Sydney asked, then immediately regretted her statement.

"I'm sorry mom," she said, looking at the floor.

"It's okay. I'm just concerned sweetheart," Irina said.

"It's just a stomach virus," Sydney said, rubbing her stomach.

"I don't think so," Irina said. Sydney looked at her in confusion.

"What else would it be?" Sydney asked in what sounded like annoyance.

"You tell me," Irina spoke.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sydney said, shaking her head.

"Sydney, you've been throwing up for weeks. It's not normal, unless..." Irina trailed off.

"Unless what mother?" Sydney asked, grimacing in pain. Irina hesitated.

"Sydney, is there any way you could be pregnant?" Irina asked. Sydney's eyes widened, and she glanced down at her stomach, and back at her mother. Whatever she was going to say was interrupted when her stomach beckoned again, and she ran to the bathroom to answer its call.

  


*****

  


Sydney looked around cautiously. She hated everything about hospitals. The cold, bare white walls. The clinical, lemony smell. The sterility. She glanced over at her mother, who was holding onto her hand tightly.

"I can't believe this," Sydney spoke aloud, and Irina sighed.

"It's going to be alright," Irina said.

"I have no right to bring a child in this world. Everything and everyone I touch ends up dead," Sydney said, looking down at the floor.

"That's not true Sydney," Irina said, and both were alarmed when the door opened, and the doctor entered.

"Hello Sydney. Miss Derevko," he said, and Irina and Sydney nodded in response. He moved over to take a seat in a chair across from the examination table that Irina and Sydney were both seated on, and he sighed loudly.

"Well, doctor..." Irina asked.

"I have the results of your test Sydney," he said, and Sydney breathed deeply.

"And?" she asked, squeezing her mother's hand.

"You are definitely pregnant," he said, and Sydney could only nod, silence overtaking her. He looked at her, and when she did not look at him, he glanced at Irina.

"I'm sorry doctor. She's just overwhelmed. Shocked and overwhelmed," Irina said, looking at her daughter.

"Oh God," Sydney finally said, forgetting the doctor's presence, "I have to call Will. I have to tell him."

"Will? The father?" the doctor asked. Sydney nodded. Irina sighed loudly, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"Is everything alright? Obviously, it's very early but..." Irina began. 

"Irina, Sydney is three months pregnant," he interrupted, looking at Sydney. Sydney lifted her head at his statement, her eyes wide. Irina's reaction was similar.

"That's not possible," Sydney said matter-of-factly looking at her mother in shock. The doctor looked from daughter to mother and back, and nodded slowly.

"I'll give you a minute alone," he said, and stood up, leaving the room. Sydney was silent for a moment.

"This can't be happening," Sydney said, looking at her mother, tears falling down her face.

"Sydney, calm down," Irina said, stroking her daughter's back.

"This baby can't be Will's, so whose it is? Oh God, mom. This means...this means...this baby was conceived when I was Julia Thorne," Sydney said.

"So it would appear," Irina said, shaking her head.

"Oh God," Sydney said quietly, and before Irina could move to stop it, Sydney had fainted before her very eyes. Irina's eyes widened as she stood up quickly, calling for the doctor.

"Help!" she screamed, "My daughter's fainted!"

  


*****

  


Julian's cell phone rang, and not bothering to check the ID number, he opened it quickly.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Julian?" a female voice inquired. Julian's eyes darted around, checking for any outside listeners.

"Irina?" he asked, "You shouldn't be calling me. It's dangerous," he whispered frantically.

"It's an emergency Julian," she said, exhaustion evident in her voice.

"What? Oh God! Did something happen to Sydney?" he asked, his voice unconsciously raising.

"Julian, just come home soon," Irina answered.

"What are you talking about? Is she alright?" he asked, panicked.

"She needs you. That is all I can say. Just come home soon," she said, and before he could ask another question, he heard a dial tone.

Bloody woman.

Always cryptic.

He closed his phone and sat at his desk, considering this new information, and wondered how fast he could get out of this facility...

He sprang to his feet when an idea finally came to him, and reached for his gun on the nightstand.


	9. Chapter Eight

"Hello?" he asked.

"Julian?" a female voice inquired. Julian's eyes darted around, checking for any outside listeners.

"Irina?" he asked, "You shouldn't be calling me. It's dangerous," he whispered frantically.

"It's an emergency Julian," she said, exhaustion evident in her voice.

"What? Oh God! Did something happen to Sydney?" he asked, his voice unconsciously raising.

"Julian, just come home soon," Irina answered.

"What are you talking about? Is she alright?" he asked, panicked.

"She needs you. That is all I can say. Just come home soon," Irina said, ending the call.

  


*****

  


As Irina slammed down the phone, she sighed loudly, placing a hand over her face. When she turned around, she was facing a furious daughter.

"Mom?" she asked, "Why did you do that?" she demanded, tears falling down her face.

"He needs to be here for you..." Irina trailed off.

"Why? He can't do anything! He can't make this go away!" Sydney yelled. Irina stepped in front of her daughter, embracing her tightly.

"Sydney," she said softly, stroking her daughter's hair, "He might be able to shed some light on the situation..." Irina said, pulling back to push a hair out of her daughter's face.

"How mom? He can only remember a grand total of two weeks more than I can. He doesn't know anything," Sydney said, stepping back from her mother. Irina looked down to the floor, sighing loudly.

"He may know some things now Sydney. Julian has several contacts in the Covenant, whose loyalties are as...flexible as his own," Irina said, her eyes returning to Sydney's.

"So you think he may be able to find out who the father of this baby is?" Sydney asked quietly.

"I have my own suspicions. You will know the truth soon," Irina said, stepping forward to retrieve her daughter's hand, squeezing it tightly.

"It'll be alright, sweetheart. I promise. We'll take care of you and your baby," Irina said, looking toward her daughter's stomach. Sydney followed her gaze, and rubbed her stomach lovingly.

"It's hard to believe there's something growing inside of me," she said, smiling, and then frowning again, "I just don't think I'm the right person to be bringing a baby into this world."

Irina frowned, and lifted her daughter's chin, forcing Sydney to look at her.

"Sydney, you'll be a wonderful mother," she said.

"Everything I touches..." Sydney began.

"Don't say it Sydney. Don't curse yourself sweetheart. You're thinking and doing for two now," Irina said, her eyes determined. Sydney nodded, looking down at her abdomen again.

"For two..." she said, trailing off, smiling softly.

  


*****

  


Julian slammed the door to Irina Derevko's house far louder than he had planned. He glanced around the place, moving around in a state of panic. It had nearly three days since Irina's cryptic phone call, and he just now gotten home. It had taken prying, bribing, and much threatening to escape the Covenant and return to Sydney... 

Sydney.

Where the devil was she?

He had searched the entire upstairs, the gardens outside, the offices...

He stopped when he heard the familiar sound of her laughter.

Laughter?

Hadn't Irina said that something was wrong? He shook his head, and walked toward the beautiful sound. He found that it was coming from Irina's small library on the first floor, and as he stepped to the door, and pushed it open tentatively, he began steeling himself to whatever he would find...

His eyes widened at the sight of Irina Derevko and her daughter, Sydney Bristow, sitting next to one another, a book in their selective hands, reading and laughing and smiling. Neither of them noticed his presence at first, so Julian took the moment to admire them.

They were quite a pair, these two. They looked so alike, with glossy brown hair, and large brown eyes...similar mouths, faces, features. He hadn't seen Irina truly smile in years. He found himself comforted that they had found a connection with one another. He smiled softly, and it only widened when Sydney looked in his direction, a surprised smile appearing on her face.

"Julian!" she yelled, tossing her book on the couch, and sprinting to him. She threw her arms around him, and kissed his cheek softly.

"Wow," he said, glancing at Irina, who was smiling as well, "Remind me to come home more often!" Sydney pulled away slightly, smacking him lightly on the arm. He grimaced.

"Careful love," he said, and when she looked at his arm, her eyes widened in horror.

"Julian," she said, her voice rising, "What happened?"

His arm was bandaged, blood still seeping through the bandage.

"I was shot on my last mission. No big deal. It just hasn't been healing correctly, is all," he said, his eyes connecting with Sydney's. Her features softened, and she smiled.

"Let me look at it," she said, reaching toward his arm.

"Just a flesh wound," he said, smirking. She sighed.

"I'll be the judge of that," she said, unwrapping the bandage. She gasped at the sight of it. The bullet had obviously only grazed his skin, but it had gone deep.

"It's infected Julian," she said, her eyes displaying concern, "you need to see a doctor."

"Do I have to mum?" he asked, his eyes dancing. Irina laughed, standing up slowly.

"Welcome home Julian," she said, "And yes, you have to see a doctor. It doesn't look good," she finished, leaving the room. Julian glanced over Sydney. She looked fine. 

So why had Irina called him three days ago?

"You alright?" he asked. She glanced away from his wound, into his eyes. He could've sworn her mask of strength faltered, but immediately it was back again.

"I'm fine," she lied, "you're not. Come on, we're going to the hospital."

"Do I have to?" he whined.

"Yes, you do," she said, smiling at him. She took her hand off his wound after re-bandaging it and cupped the side of his face in her hand. Before he could react, she kissed him softly on the lips, sending shivers down his spine. When she pulled away, he smirked at her, his blue eyes dancing.

"What was that for?" he asked, surprised. She smiled at him.

"I missed you," she said stepping away from him, grasping his hand, "now come on we're leaving," she said, dragging him out the door.

"Not so hard Bristow, I'm an injured man," he said, rubbing his arm as they went.

  


*****

  


Sydney had been at his side as a doctor poked and prodded at him, finally telling him what Sydney had expected. His arm was infected, nothing time and a little antibiotics couldn't heal. When he was all bandaged up again, prescription in hand, they stood up to exit the hospital. Sydney turned when someone called her name.

"Miss Bristow!" Sydney's eyes widened, and she shook her head at her doctor, who in turn eyed her questioningly.

"Dr. Michaels, hello again!" she said, her eyes panicking. Julian looked at her questioningly. The doctor glanced at the man beside her, then back at Sydney.

"Is he the..." Michaels began.

"This is my friend Julian Lazarey," she interrupted, and when she glared at the doctor again, he nodded in understanding. 

She hadn't told him.

"Ah," he said, taking the man's hand to shake it firmly, "Nice to meet you Mr. Lazarey."

Julian nodded, smiling a bit, and looked questioningly at Sydney.

Awkward silence followed. Dr. Michaels sighed, putting a hand on Sydney's arm.

"Miss Bristow, it was nice to see you again. Take care of yourself..." he said.

"I will," she said quickly, smiling at him. Julian nodded at the doctor, who did the same, and led Sydney into the parking lot. He watched her as she rummaged around her purse for the car keys, her face suddenly looking ragged.

"What was that all about?" Julian asked. She looked up at him, smiling oddly.

"Nothing," she lied.

"How did he know you?" he asked, stepping into the passenger side after she unlocked it. He waited until she sat on the driver's side to repeat the question. She sighed loudly, glancing over at him.

"It was nothing Julian. Drop it," she said, starting the car. He looked out the window, giving her what she wanted, but couldn't help but wonder why the most honest, innocent woman he had ever met, was lying to his face.

  


*****

The man picked up the phone, glancing over a patient's records carefully.

"Dr. Michaels," he said, into the receiver.

"Dr. Michaels? It's Irina Derevko," a female voice said over the line.

"Miss Derevko. Pleasure to hear from you again. How can I help you?" he asked, sitting the records down on his desk.

"My daughter was just in your hospital," Irina said.

"Yes, with a young man..." he began.

"Did you handle his case?" Irina asked.

"No, I did not. I imagine that someone in emergency did Miss Derevko," he said, confused.

"Is there any way you could find out?" she asked.

"Well..." he began.

"I'm going to be straight with you Dr. Michaels. I believe that the man you saw today may be the father of my daughter's child. I want a paternity test done," she said. The doctor sighed loudly.

"I cannot do that without Sydney's consent..." he began.

"Who's in charge here doctor? Me or you?" she asked, interrupting him. He sighed.

"Always a pleasure Irina. I'll have the results soon," he said, rubbing his forehead.

"Thank you," she said, ending the call.


	10. Chapter Nine

  


"I'm going to be straight with you Dr. Michaels. I believe that the man you saw today may be the father of my daughter's child. I want a paternity test done," she said. The doctor sighed loudly.

"I cannot do that without Sydney's consent..." he began.

"Who's in charge here doctor? Me or you?" she asked, interrupting him. He sighed.

"Always a pleasure Irina. I'll have the results soon," he said, rubbing his forehead.

"Thank you," she said, ending the call.

  


*****

  


Days later, Julian emerged from carrying Sydney off to bed. The poor woman had been exhausted, though from what, he wasn't quite sure. He could only hope that Irina hadn't put Sydney to work during the time he had been undercover at the Covenant. He strolled down the hallway to Irina's offices, approached it apprehensively and knocked on it softly.

"Come in," Irina's voice answered. When Julian answered, he couldn't help but notice that Irina seemed distracted, even while she was busy filling out paperwork. She looked up at him, motioning him to be seated.

"Hello Julian," she said, smiling, "What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to check on you. Is everything alright?"

"Of course. Where is Sydney?"

"I just put her in bed. She's exhausted, Irina. You weren't overworking her were you?" he asked, his eyes searing her own. Irina laughed.

"Quite the contrary, Julian. Sydney has been very comfortable during her stay here," she said, glancing back down at the papers on her desk. She sighed, looking back up at him.

"You have not talked about how you got that wound, Julian," she said, "Sydney and I are concerned."

"So you're an expert on how Sydney feels now?" he snapped, then immediately regretted the action. Irina frowned, her fingers tapping on her desk.

"I may have missed most of her life, Julian, but I know my daughter," she said quietly, unable to meet his eyes.

"What's going on with her Irina?" he asked, earning a panicked gaze from Irina.

"Nothing? Why would you ask me that?" she asked.

"She's been distant these past few days. Snappy, like before. Edgy. I don't know what to make of it," he said.

"If Sydney has anything to tell you, she will be the one to do so," Irina said, looking down at her desk. She picked up a pen, glancing at Julian, "Could you please excuse me Julian?" Julian sighed, nodding. He stood up slowly, and stopped when he reached the door.

"Irina?" he said, earning a look from her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"It's only a matter of time until I figure out what's going with her. You know that," he said. Irina nodded. Julian sighed, and stepped out of the room, making his way to Sydney's room.

  


*****

  


"Sydney, you have to listen to me," Sark insisted, trying to calm her.

"Are you insane? Why would I listen to you? You'll kill me!" she said. Sark snorted.

"I've had many opportunities before now, Sydney. Don't you think if I was going to kill you I would have done so already?" he asked. Sydney had to admit, the man was right. She shook her head. That didn't mean she trusted him.

"Why were you kissing me? Why was I kissing you?" she demanded, her finger in his face. He grabbed it, holding her hand.

"I'm told it's nothing new," he said, smirking. She removed her hand from his grasp.

"Excuse me? Why would I kiss a viper like you?" she spat. With that, she glanced around, not recognizing her surroundings. Her eyes found his again.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"The Covenant's offices," he said, and her eyes widened.

"The Covenant? They took me from my apartment...they tortured me," she said.

"Right," he said, nodding his head. She cocked her head to the side, taking in his appearance. She had to admit, once again, that he looked good.

"What are you doing here? You're part of the Covenant aren't you?" she demanded. He sighed.

"Technically, yes..." he said. She moved to slap him, but he grabbed her arm again.

"What? You..." she began, her eyes narrowing.

"There's no need for name-calling, love," he said, smirking, then his face grew serious, "You're a part of the Covenant as well."

"Like hell," she spat.

"It's true. They brainwashed us Sydney," he said.

"Shut up! You're crazy! Why would they brainwash us? What value do we have to them?" she asked, her hand still in his own. He motioned for her to calm down, pointing to a camera in the corner of the hallway. She nodded in understanding.

"Look, they've taken other agents. But we are the two they're most concerned about," he said, his eyes fixed on her own.

"Why?" she asked, tracing his eyes for honesty.

It was there.

He sighed, glancing around.

"Sydney," he said, "they've taken things from us..." he trailed off.

"Like what?" she whispered, her face close to his own.

"They've used us to create a child..." he trailed off.

"What?" she yelled, and he placed a finger over her lips. She rolled her eyes, but did not remove his hand. He moved in the side of her face, gazing at her intently.

"How did they..." she began. He rolled his eyes.

"They've stolen our DNA, and have been busily creating a child...our child," he said. Her eyes widened.

"Why?"

"It's in the prophecy, Sydney," he said.

"Rambaldi?" she asked.

"Yes. Apparently, the key to the prophecy is you and I," he said. She looked at him questioningly.

"Well, I know my face is on an ancient piece of paper, but how are you connected to all of this?" she asked.

"I'm the only living ancestor of Milo Rambaldi," he said. She gasped.

"But you're British..." she began.

"My mother was Italian," he answered, glancing down at his feet. When his eyes returned to her own, she noted the fear that dwelled in his eyes.

"Sydney, we have to stop them," he said.

"How?" she asked. He shook his head, releasing her from his arms.

"I don't know. We have to stop them," he said again, and she nodded. Wordlessly, her grabbed her hand, squeezed it tightly, and led her out of the corridor.

  


*****

  


Sydney's eyes snapped open, and she struggled to make out her surroundings.

Another dream.

Had she and Sark...Julian, stopped the Covenant? Had they retrieved their DNA, and put a halt to whatever they were creating? Was it even real?

She glanced around the room, suddenly noticing Julian's presence. His chin was propped up by his hand, and he was gazing at her intently. He smiled when she glanced in his direction, and stood up, moving to sit by her side.

"How long have you been there?" she asked, yawning and stretching.

"Not long," he said, looking at her face, "What's wrong?" She shook her head.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said, smirking, sitting up, her face inches from his own.

"Try me," he said, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. She hesitated, then sighed loudly.

"I had another dream," she said, and he nodded.

"I figured that was the case," he said, "Go on."

"I was arguing with you, in the same hallway. You told me that the Covenant had our DNA..." she trailed off, her eyes darting to the floor.

"You remember that?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, and she pulled up on his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" 


	11. Chapter Ten

  


"I had another dream," she said, and he nodded.

"I figured that was the case," he said, "Go on."

"I was arguing with you, in the same hallway. You told me that the Covenant had our DNA..." she trailed off, her eyes darting to the floor.

"You remember that?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, and she pulled up on his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?

  


*****

  


He sighed, hating the look of doubt that was now apparent in her eyes. He thought he had seen the last of it weeks ago.

"I didn't want to upset you," he said, "We infiltrated their labs and stopped them. We burned the lab, the DNA, the...creation..." he trailed off. Her eyes began tearing.

"You cried for an hour afterward. Though you weren't carrying the child, you felt guilty," he said, glancing down at the floor, "Truthfully, I did too," he whispered.

"We had to do it," she said. He glanced at her, nodding slowly.

"Yeah," he said.

"So that's not a concern?" she asked.

"No," he said, shaking his head, "We left the Covenant, I restored you to your mother, and turned myself into the CIA. I knew that was the only way I would be safe. A few days later, you were back, and you didn't remember anything. Not the Covenant, not your mother...not even me," he finished.

"I'm sorry Julian," she said. He shook his head.

"Don't apologize," he said, a tear running down his face. She reached over to her night stand, grabbing a tissue box. He looked at her questioningly, grabbing a tissue from the box. She shrugged, smirking.

"I've been emotional lately," she said, laughing softly. Another tear ran down his face, and she looked at him with concern.

"What?" she asked.

"I should have been able to protect you. I can't remember those months when we were Julia and Andrew. I don't know what happened between us. I've never been controlled by anyone in my life. I was weak, weaker than I've ever thought possible..." he said, trailing off. Sydney cupped his face in her hands.

"You're not weak Julian. You saved me. I would still be in the Covenant's possession if it weren't for you," she said, smiling. He nodded, wiping his tears from his face, smirking.

"At least we don't have to worry about a little one running around anytime soon," he said. Sydney looked at him in horror, but still felt it was not time to tell him the truth. She only nodded.

  


*****

  


Irina sat in her office, trying to distract herself with any menial task she could find. Worrying about Sydney's pregnancy was beginning to wear on her, and she felt older and more tired than she had in years. She rested her head in her hands, and sat for a few moments in complete silence.

Suddenly, the phone on her desk rang, and she picked it up slowly.

"Hello?" she asked, rubbing a hand over her forehead.

"I have the results," a man's voice said.

"Dr. Michaels...so soon?" she asked.

"The marvels of modern technology, Irina," he said, "the tests are conclusive. Adrian Lazarey is most certainly the father of your daughter's child."

Irina froze, panic seeping into her body.

"Irina, are you alright?" Michaels' voice came again, and Irina nodded, forgetting that he could not see her.

"Oh...oh...yes. I'm fine. Thank you so much for you help, doctor," she said, and ended the call. She placed the phone down, and her eyes widened.

The prophecy.

It was coming into being.

Sydney was carrying the child that would bring the destruction of the known world.

  


*****

  


Sydney rested her head on Julian's chest as they laid side by side on her bed. She couldn't help but wonder at the irony of the situation. The man she felt most comfortable with today, had been her enemy only weeks before. She smiled.

Maybe they had never been enemies.

Not really, anyway.

After she had woke up from her dream, Julian had stayed with her, and they had talked about their lives up until this very moment. She discovered that at the time she had been planning her Sweet Sixteen party, Julian had changed his name to 'Sark' and had become a respected member of her mother's organization. Julian's father had been Adrian Lazarey, the man she had killed, and his mother had been the daughter of an Italian diplomat. His mother had died when he was only eight years old, and his father had sent him to boarding schools all around the world, basically ignoring his son. This ignorance has sent him into the arms of her mother, whom he deeply respected, admired, and loved, as if she was his own mother.

Sydney told him about the struggles of dealing with her mother's 'death', her strained relationship with her father, and about the shy, quiet girl she had been in high school and in her early years of college. He had smiled at the thought, considering how beautiful and confident she had become. Her arm was draped lazily over his chest, her hand entwined in his own, and every time either one of them came to a sad memory in their respective lives, one would squeeze the other's hand, in order to offer some sort of comfort. She told him about Danny, and how she still carried guilt over his death. Sydney proceeded to tell him how hard it had been to adjust to returning to Los Angeles after her disappearance. 

"Agent Vaughn is married?" he gasped, and she only nodded, sighing into his chest.

"Yeah," she said, "Guess he just forgot I ever existed..." she began. She could feel Julian shaking his head, and he turned her face up to him, meeting her gaze.

"That's nonsense, Sydney. First, because, no man could ever forget you, and second, because Agent Vaughn is just a little boy who was never good enough for you," he said, smirking.

"Thank you," she said, "I've been trying not to insult him, but by all means, you can."

He smiled, and she smiled as well. Irina found them like this, laying together, gazing at one another with brilliant smiles gracing their facial features. Julian noticed her presence first.

"Irina," he said, sitting up abruptly. No matter how he felt about Sydney, it didn't mean he wanted her mother to kill him for being so close to her daughter. Sydney looked in the direction he was, and her eyes widened. She sat up as well, and then stood up, straightening her clothes.

"Mom, what's up?" she asked, noting her mother's pallor.

"Sydney, we need to talk. Privately," she said, glancing in Julian's direction. Julian nodded, moving to leave the room. Sydney halted him, grabbing his arm.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Julian," she said, her eyes searing his. He smiled, and she melted. She glanced back at her mother, who looked at them questioningly.

"It's about your doctor's visit the other day," her mother said, and Sydney's eyes widened. She looked at Julian, whose eyes displayed confusion. She smiled, reassuring him, and glanced back at her mother.

There would be no more lies.

"Say it, mother. He deserves to know," she said, glancing back at Julian.

"He doesn't know?" Irina asked. Sydney shook her head.

A throat cleared.

"Excuse me, ladies? What am I not privy to here? Someone want to clue me in?"


	12. Chapter Eleven

  


"Say it, mother. He deserves to know," she said, glancing back at Julian.

"He doesn't know?" Irina asked. Sydney shook her head.

A throat cleared.

"Excuse me, ladies? What am I not privy to here? Someone want to clue me in?"

  


*****

  


Irina and Sydney shared another glance, and Sydney turned to Julian slowly.

"Sit down Julian," she said, motioning to the bed.

"I'm fine," he said, looking at her intently.

"Trust me, you want to sit down," Sydney said. He sighed loudly, and sat down roughly on the bed. She sat down next to him, rubbing her hand over her face. Irina remained in her position beside the door.

"What is it Sydney?" he asked. Sydney glanced at her mother, who nodded.

"Julian..." she said, trailing off, "I think you've been noticing my behavior lately. This is really the first night since you've been back that I have treated you like crap. I've been emotional, sick...distant..." she said. He smirked.

"Yeah, I've noticed. So what's wrong?" he asked. Sydney hesitated.

"Julian, I'm pregnant," she blurted, and his eyes widened. He looked away from her to where Irina stood, and Irina nodded. He looked back to Sydney, suddenly nodding.

"That is how that doctor knew you," he said, and Sydney nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just didn't know how to say it," she said. His face softened. He couldn't be angry at this woman.

"I understand. But..." he trailed off.

"What?" Sydney asked.

"I don't want to pry, but whose is it?" he stumbled. Sydney frowned.

"I'm not sure. I'm three months pregnant," she said, looking down at the floor. He gasped.

"Which means..." he trailed off. She looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears.

"Which means I can't remember," she finished for him. Instantly he took her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Oh Sydney. I'm so sorry. I should've protected you. Oh God," he said.

"This isn't your fault Julian..." Sydney said.

"I beg to differ," Irina intruded suddenly, and both the agents before looked at her in shock.

"Mother," Sydney hissed, and Julian gaped at Irina.

"I'm sorry Julian, but Sydney, I've just received news," Irina said.

"What kind of news?" Sydney asked.

"I had tests taken, without your permission," Irina said.

"What?" Sydney demanded, and Julian placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know who the father is," Irina blurted. Sydney and Julian's eyes widened.

"How?" Julian asked.

"A blood test," Irina answered, staring intently at Julian.

"Whose blood?" Sydney asked. Irina's eyes remained on Julian.

"When you went to the hospital, Julian, I had a doctor test your blood," Irina said, and Sydney's eyes widened. Irina turned to Sydney.

"Julian is the father of your child," Irina said, and Sydney gasped in horror.

"Oh God," she said, looking at Julian. Julian moved his hand to her stomach, and rubbed it lovingly.

"You mean...I'm a father?" he asked, looking over to Irina.

"Yes," she answered. Julian's eyes returned to Sydney's and she was openly crying.

"Sydney..." he trailed off.

"I'm okay. I'm just overwhelmed. I'm glad you're the father...now that question is answered. But..." she trailed off, the color draining from her face.

"The prophecy," he finished for her, and he frowned.

"Yes, the prophecy," Irina chimed in.

"You know about the prophecy?" Sydney asked.

"Yes, I do," Irina answered. Julian looked at Irina, and she, reading his thoughts, nodded.

"We have to protect you Sydney, and this baby. If the Covenant finds out about this child, they will stop at nothing to bring the prophecy into being. If we raise this child, and protect him or her, we...and the world, will be safe," Julian said, staring intently into Sydney's eyes. Sydney looked to her mother, who again nodded in agreement.

"He's right Sydney," Irina said, and Sydney nodded.

"I can't believe this is happening. We've done everything to stop this prophecy from happening. It's almost as if..." Sydney trailed off.

"As if it's meant to happen," Julian said.

"No," Irina said, and they looked at her questioningly.

"This will not happen. Your child will hurt no one. And no one will hurt your child," Irina said, moving to stand in front of the two parents.

"I promise you, no one will hurt your baby. But, we're going to need help," Irina said. Sydney and Julian glanced at one another, then turned back to Irina.

"We need to call the CIA. We need to call your father Sydney," she said.

  


*****

  


"Bristow," Jack said, answering his phone.

"Jack," a female voice answered. Jack visibly stiffened.

"Irina," he said, sighing.

"Jack, your daughter needs you," Irina answered. Jack's eyes widened.

"Where is she?" he demanded. Pause.

"She's with me, and with Julian," Irina said.

"Julian?" Jack asked.

"Sark," Irina answered.

"What?"

"You heard me Jack. Sydney needs you. Trace this call. Bring Agents Dixon, Vaughn and Weiss. Her reporter friend as well. Sydney has requested their presence," Irina answered.

"Why? What's going on Irina?" Jack asked.

"Jack, I know you have no reason to trust me," Irina said, and Jack snorted loudly, "But Sydney needs you. She needs her friends," Irina said. Jack paused, and heard Sydney's voice in the background. He heard a shuffle and then, his daughter's voice.

"Dad," she said. Jack smiled, overjoyed to hear her.

"Sydney, thank God. What's wrong sweetheart?" he asked.

"Dad, please, do as mom has asked..."

"But..."

"Please, dad. I need you. I need them. Don't ask questions," she said. He hesitated, but nodded. 

"Alright. Anything for you Sydney," he said. He could hear her sniffling, and wished that he was by her side, comforting her.

"Thank you dad. Hurry. I love you," she said, ending the transmission.

Jack sighed, and immediately dialed Marshall, to enact a trace.


	13. Chapter Twelve

Jack Bristow rushed into CIA headquarters, and threw open the doors to Marcus Dixon's office hastily, surprised that all the agents that Sydney had wanted had already gathered. Plus another.

Lauren Reed.

Jack rolled his eyes. It seemed that before, when Sydney had been back in Los Angeles, Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn had suffered some 'marital trauma'. Now that Sydney was gone again, they had gotten closer. He rolled his eyes again; like he cared anyway.

"Jack," Agent Dixon said, "You heard from Sydney?" he asked eagerly. Everyone else in the room looked at him in equal anticipation. Jack nodded.

"Yes," he said, "She's with her mother, and Sark."

"Sark?!" Vaughn demanded, and Lauren placed a calming hand on his arm. He calmed a bit. "Is she nuts?" Jack smirked.

"She just might be, Mr. Vaughn. Either way, we're going to her," Jack said, then turning to Lauren, "Except you," he said. Lauren's eyes widened, and her face grew red.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bristow, but wherever my husband is going, I am going. He's been at her beckon call for years. I'm going," she said, and Michael looked at her uneasily, then shrugged in Jack's direction. Jack scowled.

"Miss Reed, I can appreciate...your devotion...to you husband, but I don't want your presence to upset my daughter. Besides, we have no idea what we're getting into. You're not field rated," he said. Lauren sighed.

"You said it yourself, Mr. Bristow, Sydney is already upset. And despite certain...tensions that have kept us at a distance from one another, I respect Sydney, and I know she feels the same. And you're right, we don't know what we're going to be dealing with when we reach our destination, however, I'm a highly trained analyst, I'm good under pressure, and I can fire a weapon with the best of agents," she said, glaring at the older man. Jack sighed. Why argue? She was going to go anyway.

"Fine, Miss Reed. You can go, but I don't want any petty arguments started with my daughter, understood? If you do, you're on the first plane home," he said. She nodded, and thus he turned the rest of the agents.

"After my initial contact with Sydney, I had the call traced. I contacted Irina, and she let me know that this is just a meeting of sorts," he said. They all looked at him skeptically. Weiss took this moment to chime in.

"Why are we going halfway around the world for a meeting?" Weiss asked. Will nodded in turn.

"Yeah, why can't she come to us?" Will asked. Jack sighed.

"I don't know any details as of now. You know Irina, always cryptic," Jack said, and they all nodded, "I just know that Sydney wanted to meet with everyone personally, to arrange a long-term mission of sorts, and that it is too dangerous for her to move out of the area she is in now," he said. Vaughn's eyes locked with Jack's, mirroring Jack's own concern for Sydney's safety.

"What kind of danger are we talking about, Jack?" Vaughn asked, his forehead wrinkling slightly. Lauren noted this and hid a small smile. She squeezed his hand, and he returned the gesture, silently thanking her for her understanding.

"The Covenant is after both her and Sark," Jack said, and they all looked at him questioningly, all excluding Dixon.

"So she knows?" Dixon asked Jack, and the others glanced at Dixon.

"Yes, she knows," Jack said, glaring at Dixon intently.

"Um, excuse me? She knows what?" Weiss asked, and Will struggled to hide his chuckle. Jack looked to all of the people before him. 

"This will all come as a shock to you, but you must remember that this is confidential, and must be kept that way. Dixon and I, given our level of clearance, have been aware for sometime, that during the time that Sark was taken from CIA custody, he was brainwashed by the Covenant, and he worked with Sydney, when she thought she was Julia Thorne," Jack said. All the younger agents gasped, and looked to Dixon for confirmation. He only nodded.

"You mean, you both have known, all this time, where Sydney was, and that she was with Sark?" Vaughn demanded.

"No. When Sark turned himself back in, he admitted all that I've just told you, along with how he was snapped out of his so-called 'trance', and how he made Sydney remember who she really was. He took her to Irina, who in turn had Sydney's memories from the past two years erased. Irina did this, so, that in the case of capture, nothing could be extracted from Sydney's memories, simply because she would have none," Jack said. All of them looked at him with wide eyes, and the room remained silent for several moments.

"You think you've heard it all, and then something like this happens," Will said, and the others nodded.

"There's more," Jack said.

"What?" Lauren and Vaughn asked in unison.

"At least," Jack hesitated, "I believer there's more. I think the Covenant found great value in Sydney and Sark for some reason. We must go to her, and find out why the Covenant wants them so desperately," Jack said. They all nodded, and Jack handed them all a folder, with listed aliases and flight plans.

"Lauren, I predicted your being here, so I took the liberty of making arrangements for you as well. You will be traveling with Dixon, because I believe it's too dangerous to be traveling with your husband," Jack stated. Lauren nodded, and smiled at Dixon, who returned the gesture.

"Weiss, you will be traveling with Will. It would be too suspicious for you to be traveling with Mr. Vaughn, seeing that you have known each other for so long," Will and Weiss nodded. Jack glanced at Vaughn, who knew what was coming.

"Mr. Vaughn, you will be traveling with me," Jack said simply, and Vaughn nodded slowly. Jack then turned to all the rest of them, and stood up straight.

"Mr. Vaughn and I will be departing first, Tippin and Agent Weiss will be second, and Dixon and Ms. Reed will bring up the rear. Your instructions are in your folders, along with aliases, passports, and the like. Any questions?" Jack asked, and all of them shook their heads. Jack sighed, anxious to reach his daughter.

"Then, good luck," he said, and they all stood up, leaving the room.

  


*****

  


"I'm scared to see my father," Sydney blurted, as she and Julian toiled in the kitchen. Julian glanced at her, smirking.

"I would be too," he said, then remembering, "Oh wait, I am, because I'm the father of your child," he said. Sydney laughed, which had been Julian's desired effect.

"That's true. He'll hurt me, but he'll kill you," she said, laughing hysterically. Julian threw down the dish towel he had been using to dry dishes, and placed his hand in the water, and flicked his wrist, splashing her in the face.

"What's so funny, Miss Bristow? Am I really that amusing? It takes two you know," he said, and Sydney splashed him, still in a fit of giggles. This continued for several minutes, both of them splashing and laughing together. Suddenly, Sydney slipped, and Julian leaned forward to catch her in his arms. As she looked up at him, her laughter faded as she got lost in his beautiful, soulful blue eyes. They had come under such a change this last month. Before, they had been cold, unfeeling; and now, all she could see was depth and emotion. Love.

He, at the same time, couldn't help but think that she was beautiful, despite the wet splotches now adorning her clothing, and the hair that was sticking to the side of her face. Her eyes danced when she looked at him now, a far cry from the hate and rage that inhabited her brown orbs before. He knew that she wasn't Julia...and that he wasn't Andrew...but some part of those two concocted individuals lay beneath the surface of who Sydney was, and who he was as well.

He was snapped out of his reverie when she stood up, still in his embrace, and kissed him suddenly. When he moved his arms along her stomach and eventually put them around her waist, he smiled a little at the feel of the bulge that was forming along her abdomen. He had created a life inside of her. They had created a life together. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer, and as the kiss deepened, he couldn't help but think that this was the safest, the most secure, the most at home, that he had ever felt in all his years. Sydney felt the same.

When she finally pulled away from him, their breaths were short, but were taken at the same time, as if they were one body. She smiled up at him, her hand playing with the hair growing back in at the base of his neck. He smiled at the touch, and moved his hands to the side of her face, basking in the glorious softness of her skin.

"This is strange," he said, smirking at her. Her eyes smiled at him.

"But wonderful," she said, and before she could press her lips to his again, he moved a finger to her lips.

"Sydney, don't you find it strange, that we're this close?" he asked, and she frowned momentarily.

"Well...do you?" she asked. He sighed, then smiled.

"I should, because we were enemies, but then again, maybe we never were," he said, and she laughed.

"What?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I was thinking the same thing the other day," she said, and he laughed as well.

"We really are a perfect match," he said, playing with her hair. 

"You've been saying it for years," she said, and he smirked.

"Yes. You should really listen to me more often Bristow. I'm a pretty smart man," he said. She rolled her eyes, but smiled, kissing his forehead tenderly.

"I know that," she said. 

"Good," he said. Suddenly, he had lifted the sprayer from the sink, and had it pointed in her direction. She narrowed her eyes at him, pointing her finger at him.

"Don't you dare, Julian," she said. He grinned mischievously, and sprayed her anyway.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

  


Julian watched Sydney intently as she spoke quietly on the phone. He noticed that her smile had brightened, but at the same time, fear registered in her glorious brown eyes. When she had finished the conversation, she placed the phone down, and glance over at him sighing. Julian patted the cushion next to him on the couch, and she moved slowly to sit next to him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and she allowed her head to rest on his shoulder. Moments passed before either spoke. Julian felt her take in a deep breath, and then sigh again.

"That was my father," she said, "He's on his way..." she trailed off.

"Well, that was fast," he said, smirking.

"Agent Vaughn is with him," Sydney whispered, attempting desperately to be formal when talking about her ex-boyfriend. Julian sighed, squeezing her shoulder.

"It's going to be alright Sydney," he said. She smiled up at him, and it melted his heart.

"I know. I just...they are the two men that I never wanted to disappoint," she said, her face growing serious. Julian shifted his weight, turning on the couch to face her. She did the same, her arms placed loosely around his neck. He moved his hand to her stomach, his hands grazing it smoothly.

"This child isn't a disappointment. The disappointment is not being able to remember it, at least...that's how I feel," he said, looking down at her abdomen. She sighed.

"Me too," she said, and their eyes locked. He smiled at her, and she leaned forward to kiss his forehead, and then pulled back to look at him again.

"In the hallway, you said you were in love with Sydney, not Julia...is that true?" she asked slowly, and his eyes widened.

"You remember that?" he asked, his blue eyes becoming cloudy. She only nodded. He sighed, smirking at her.

"It's true," he said, "It's always been true..." he said, trailing off. She smiled.

"Always? Even when I lodged that ice pick into your leg?" she asked, giggling. He smiled at the memory.

"Especially then. You were tough. Despite the fact that you royally pissed me off, the point was you made me feel something. I hadn't felt something in...as long as I could remember," he said, brushing a hair from her face. She smiled, asking him silently to continue.

"Your mother has been talking about you since the moment I was taken into her care. I felt like I knew you personally. When I met you, I was intrigued by how someone so strong, could be so emotional, so caring, so devoted to her country..." he trailed off again, his eyes searing her own.

"Sydney, you have a wonderful heart. A generous heart. It's so difficult to maintain the innocence that you have, when you're in this life. I admire you, always have, always will. Of course, admiration evolved into something different, and soon, Allison Doren was accusing me of falling in love with you. Much as I've lied in my life, I couldn't deny what she was saying. It was unavoidable," he said.

"So you don't prefer Julia?" she asked, smirking. He shook his head.

"Lord, no. After I snapped out of my programming, it took all the strength I could muster not to bloody punch her....you...Julia," he said, laughing, "It was so refreshing to have you back, banter and all. I've always loved a challenge Sydney. You will always be my greatest challenge."

"Good to know," she said, kissing his cheek tenderly.

"So, why are you being so friendly with me?" he asked. She sighed.

"I really couldn't attempt to explain it. I just know you love me, and I know that I love you. Maybe I always have...or was always meant to. Rambaldi's in control right?" she asked, laughing ironically.

"Wrong," he said roughly, "Sydney, I'm going to protect you and this baby. The Covenant will not take out child. We're a family now," he said, kissing her lips softly. She pulled away, eyes wide.

"A family, huh?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, "I want to make it official as soon as we are able," he said. She looked at him questioningly, and he smiled mischievously.

"I want you to marry me Sydney. I want to protect you...our family...for life," he said, his eyes searching her own. Tears ran down her face, yet she smiled through them.

"What?" she asked.

"I would be so happy if you would marry me," he said, "I, the secret romantic that I am, already have a ring..." he trailed off.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes, not here, however. I obviously was planning a more romantic setting," he said, smirking. She smiled, and kissed him squarely on the mouth, pulling away after a moment.

"I've been proposed to before, in a cheesy, albeit sweet way. This gives me variety," she said, her face bright, "I accept." His eyes widened, and he smiled the most adorable grin.

"Really?" he asked, his arms tightening around her waist. She didn't answer, but instead kissed him firmly on the lips. He pulled away slowly, and rested his chin over her head.

"I'll take that as a yes," he said.

"Yes to what, exactly?" a voice chimed in, and Sydney and Julian's eyes widened when they noticed their guests. Her arms remained around Julian's neck, but he removed his hands from her waist, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Hi daddy. Vaughn," Sydney said, smiling sheepishly.

"Hello Sydney. Does somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Jack asked, anger rising. Sydney looked at Julian, and they collectively sighed.

  


*****

  


Sydney looked her father with wide eyes, but her arms remained around Julian's neck nonetheless. She heard Julian sigh again, and suddenly he was helping her up, extending his hand to her thoughtfully. She smiled at the gesture, small as it was, but remembering how he had treated her in years past, she couldn't help but think it was sweet. When they were in standing position, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side. She noticed the her father and Vaughn both visibly stiffened at the sight of the man they knew as an assassin, clinging to the woman they both loved so dearly.

"What's going on Syd?" Vaughn asked, only repeating Jack's previous question. Sydney smiled slightly, looking up at her counterpart. He turned to her, his eyes dancing. She could tell he was nervous about what was to come. He smiled nonetheless.

"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Sydney asked him, and he smirked. He leaned over to whisper something in her ear, and she smiled, nodding. Suddenly, he left the room, and she was alone with the two CIA agents before her. Jack cleared his throat, and his eyes seared through her own.

"Sydney...you have some explaining to do," he said. She nodded.

"I know," she said, "I'll explain some things to you both now, but I'd rather wait to disclose everything until everyone has arrived. Who is coming?" she asked. Vaughn cleared his throat nervously, while Jack hesitated.

"Tippin, Weiss, Dixon...and Lauren," Jack said finally, and Sydney's eyes widened, though she hid her surprise well.

"Oh," she said, "Okay." 

"So what's going on?" Jack asked, and just then Julian re-entered the room. "Why are you with Sark?"

"Julian," Sydney stated calmly.

"What?" Vaughn asked.

"His name is Julian. Julian Lazarey," she stated, and smiled when Julian returned to her side. He pulled her left hand behind her back, and Sydney smiled again when she felt what he was sliding onto her ring finger. She cleared her throat, and glanced back at her father and Vaughn.

"We were both taken by the Covenant, as you know," she said, and Jack and Vaughn nodded. "We were partners for many of our missions, at least that's what we've been told. Neither of us can remember that time because we were being controlled. Julian," she said, looking up at Julian, "ran into mom on one of his missions, and she reminded him of who he was. She sent him back to the Covenant, where he later pulled me out of my own trance."

"We're aware of all that. What did we walk in on a few moments ago?" Jack asked, looking at the two people in front of him. Their closeness was alarming. He didn't like it. At all. Sydney hesitated, and was stunned when Julian began to speak.

"We've established a new relationship, Mr. Bristow. Your daughter and I have a lot in common," Julian stated, smiling down at Sydney.

"Like hell," Jack said. Sydney glared at him, and he was quiet again.

"Dad," she said, "It's true. I've learned about Julian's life, how he was raised, his background with mom...we're not so different, him and I. And he's the only one who can understand what I went through with the Covenant..." she said. 

"Just because he understands is no reason to begin some sick emotional attachment," Jack interrupted. This pissed off Julian, and he stepped forward, taking Sydney's left hand in his own.

"We're engaged Jack," he said, displaying the diamond on her finger, "and Sydney is pregnant. I'm the father."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Sydney looked up at Julian in horror. This had not been how she had planned to tell her father that was carrying an assassin's child. She sighed. She could always rely on Julian to be forthright when it came to how he was feeling.

Jack and Vaughn's eyes widened as they absorbed this new information. Sydney, pregnant? With Sark's child? This was a nightmare.

"You're not serious," Vaughn stated, looking at Sydney, green eyes displaying confusion. Sydney nodded.

"I am serious," she said, and Jack shook his head, "I love Julian, and he loves me, and this baby! He's going to take care of us."

"Yeah, he'll take care of you alright," Vaughn said, and Sydney stepped forward, punching him in the face. Jack struggled to support the man as he feel backwards. Jack looked up at her in surprise, as did Vaughn and Julian.

"Like you took care of me Vaughn? You believed I was dead. You gave up on me. Julian risked his life, going back into the Covenant to save me. Don't ever insult the man I love again...is that understood?" she spat, glaring up at him. He only nodded, as Jack helped him to his feet. Silence permeated through the room for several moments, until Sydney spoke again.

"If you both love me, as I believe you do, then please, just help us. I'm not asking that you support our union, or support the fact that we're having a child. I do ask, that you respect Julian, and that you respect me, and our love for one another," Sydney said. The two men only nodded, suddenly feeling defeated. Sydney stepped back, positioning herself next to her fiance, and slid her arm around his waist. He draped his arm around her shoulder, and smiled down at her. She glanced at her father again.

"So when are the others arriving? And by the way, not a word of my pregnancy until everyone has gathered together. This is something that we need to break to all of them gently," Sydney said.

"Yeah, because that's exactly how we were told," Jack said, and Sydney and Julian sighed again. Hopefully things could only get better...

  


*****

  


Vaughn, Sydney, Jack and Julian all sat in silence until Irina Derevko made an appearance. Vaughn, having the history he had with the woman, made no effort to be civil. Jack's reaction has been surprising. When she had entered the room, he left his seat, running to embrace the woman that had been his wife, in reality, for over thirty years. Almost immediately after this reunion of sorts, Will and Eric had arrived, embracing Sydney, grateful that she was safe, even if it was in the arms of a man they equally loathed. 

Sydney smiled graciously when Julian had offered to make dinner for all their guests, but cringed when Vaughn had offered to help. She knew, from experience, that Vaughn could indeed cook a decent meal. However, she knew that this kindness was a mask to cover the interrogation that was inevitable. He was going to harass Julian. After Julian and Vaughn had left the room, she turned to sit back in her place of the couch, and Will sat down where Julian had previously sat, draping his arm around Sydney's shoulders.

"I'm so glad you're alright," he said, smiling at her. She smiled genuinely, more than pleased to be reunited with her best friend. Weiss took a seat on the other side of her, not wanting to interrupt the reunion that was occuring between Jack and Irina on the couch on the opposite side of the room.

"So, what's going on, Syd? Why'd you want us all here?" Will asked, and Weiss nodded. Sydney sighed, smiling.

"I'll tell you what I told my dad and Vaughn. I want to wait to tell everything until everyone has gathered together."

"Alright," Weiss said, "So tell us."

"As you all know, Julian, the man you know as Sark, was also in the Covenant's custody during my missing years. We were tricked into believing we were two completely different people, we carried out missions, etc..." she trailed off. Weiss and Will nodded for her to continue.

"Anyway, Julian ran into my mother while he was on one of these missions. She snapped him out of his trance, and then he returned to the Covenant, to rescue me, and to snap me out of being Julia. Later, my mother had my memories erased, so they could never be extracted in the case of incarceration, and a day later I was back in the hands of the CIA," Sydney said. Weiss and Will exchanged a glance.

"Wow," Will said, his eyes widening. Weiss nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, wow..." Weiss said.

"That's not all," Sydney said, rolling her eyes, "Julian and I are getting married," she said, and both of them gasped.

"Wait, what? Sydney he tortured me in Taipei not too long ago..." Will answered.

"Yeah, not to mention that he's an arrogant, British as..." Weiss began.

"Stop," Sydney said, putting up her hand, "I love him and he loves me. That is all you need to know. He saved me...he risked his life. We're very much alike," she finished. Will and Weiss exchanged a glance. Will looked at his old friend suspiciously.

"Why do I get the feeling that there's more to this story?" Will asked. Sydney laughed.

"You've always been smart, Will. There is. Wait until the others get here. Then you'll know what you need to know."

As Sydney finished saying this, she looked up, and saw Lauren Reed and Dixon standing in the doorway. She stood up immediately, rushing to embrace Dixon. He squeezed her tightly, pulling away to look at her.

"Hey partner," he said, smiling.

"Hey. It's good to see you," she said, and he released her. Sydney looked over to Lauren, who stared at her awkwardly. Sydney decided what she needed to do right away. Lauren extended a hand to her, and Sydney shook it immediately, and then, surprisingly, pulled Vaughn's wife into a short embrace. Releasing her almost immediately, Sydney smiled at the woman.

"Lauren, thank you for coming. I really appreciate it," Sydney said genuinely, and Lauren returned her smile.

"Anytime," Lauren said, glad that the tension was broken. Perhaps they could become friends. Lauren glanced around the room, and then eyed Sydney again.

"Where's Michael?" she asked. Sydney smiled.

"He's in the kitchen with Julian....Sark..." Sydney said, trailing off.

"That's dangerous," Lauren said, and Sydney smirked.

"I was thinking the same thing. Why don't we go check on them, make sure everything's okay?" Sydney suggested.

"Sure," Lauren said, and after the girls notified the others as to where they were going, they headed toward the kitchen.

  


*****

  


Julian loved cooking. It was his secret hobby, really. If it had ever been made public knowledge that the ruthless assassin known as 'Sark' enjoyed spending time in the kitchen, his reputation would have been destroyed. _Oh well_, he thought. _That was my old life_.

Now, he had a new life ahead of him. One with Sydney Bristow. It still amazed him that things had happened so fast. He had really thought that she would be hostile toward him for the rest of her days. Obviously, he was wrong.

Now he was standing in a kitchen with CIA agent Michael Vaughn, a man, he knew, would love nothing more than to kick his ass at this very moment. Whether it was because Julian had been responsible for so many deaths, or his sudden connection to Sydney, he was unsure. Either way, this cooking experience was awkward.

At first, Vaughn had only communicated with him through the usage of monosyllabic grunts, which Julian had been very annoyed with. As they toiled, the green-eyed (both physically and metaphorically, it seemed) agent began to warm up to the idea of working with him. Julian couldn't help but smile when Vaughn finally got to the reason he had offered his services in the first place.

"So, Sark...sorry, Julian...." Vaughn began.

"So, Vaughn...why don't you dispense with the pleasantries. I know the only reason you're in this room with me is to interrogate me. Please, proceed," Julian said. Vaughn scowled.

"I just want to know that you're not lying. That you won't hurt her. That you'll take care of her," Vaughn said suddenly. Julian looked up, finding the man's eyes directly on him.

"Like you did, Mr. Vaughn?" Julian asked, and Vaughn looked down at the table before them. Vaughn sighed.

"She's right. I gave up on her. I moved on too quickly," Vaughn stated.

"So you don't love your wife?" Julian asked. Vaughn was angered by the deeply personal question, but answered nonetheless.

"I do love Lauren. She's an incredible woman. She's not..." Vaughn trailed off.

"She's not Sydney," Julian answered. Vaughn nodded in agreement.

"Yes," he said, his eyes searing Julian's. Julian sighed.

"I know a little something about that," Julian said, and Vaughn looked at him questioningly. "When I returned to the Covenant, and I had to turn Julia Thorne back into Sydney, I realized something I had never taken the time to notice before..."Julian trailed off, and Vaughn nodded for him to continue.

"Julia threw herself at me. It was shameless, really. Now, to any other man, that might have been pleasing, but to me, it wasn't. This woman had Sydney's face, Sydney's body...everything....but she wasn't Sydney. Not even close. Andrew James loved Julia. I am, was, and have always been, in love with Sydney Bristow. She's tough. She never makes things easy for me. But, I love the challenge. And I love her," he finished, and Vaughn nodded, realizing the man was telling the truth.

"That's all I needed to know," Vaughn said, and they returned to their work.

Moments later, the kitchen door opened, and Sydney came in, followed closely by Lauren. Both women were smiling widely, and Vaughn was glad to see that they seemed to be getting along famously.

"Hi honey," Lauren said, as she stepped to the side of her husband, kissing him quickly on the lips.

"Hey," he said. He watched as Sydney did the same to Julian, only their kiss lingered for a few moments.

"What was that for?" Julian asked as she pulled away from him, and she only smiled. She looked at both men, and smirked.

"Is everything alright in here?" she asked, marveling at the meal they were creating. Julian and Vaughn both nodded.

"Mr. Vaughn and I have reached...an understanding," Julian said, and Vaughn nodded in agreement.

"Good. Lauren and I are going to join the others," Sydney said.

"Okay. Dinner will be served in about twenty minutes," Julian said, and Sydney smiled again, leaning in to kiss him on the mouth. When she pulled away, she giggled quietly.

"Looks good sweetie," she said, and followed Lauren out of the kitchen. Vaughn smiled in his wife's direction once more, and then looked over at Julian, whose eyes remained on the door even after it had shut behind the two women. Vaughn smirked, remembering that look all too well.

"You've got it bad," he said simply, and returned his eyes to the carrots he was chopping. Julian's eyes returned to the chicken, and he sighed.

"Tell me about it," he said, rolling his eyes.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	16. Chapter Fifteen

Everyone was smiling and laughing as they ate the meal that Vaughn and Julian had so diligently prepared. Sydney couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. Only months ago, a meeting, let alone a sit-down dinner, with all the people who were present would have been absolutely out of the question. She also couldn't hide her smiled, when she noticed how easily Julian eased into conversation now with Vaughn, not to mention Will and Eric. Things were coming together.

Everyone was too full for desert, so they all stood up quickly, filing back into the living room, so Sydney could tell the rest of them the remaining news she had. She cleared her throat awkwardly, smiling softly when Julian draped an arm around her. She glanced over him, marveling at how wonderful he looked in a black polo shirt that accentuated his upper body, and gray pants that looked marvelous on him. She glanced down at her finger, laughing inwardly about the irony of their relationship. Despite the fact that neither of them could remember their relationship as 'Julia and Andrew' or even the conception of their child, they were comfortable in how they felt for one another now. All had truly been forgiven. She didn't know how, but she wasn't about to mess with it.

All the faces in the room were staring intently in their direction, and Sydney smiled.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why we called you here," she said, and they nodded. Julian squeezed her hand to reassure her, and she squeezed his in return.

"As you all know, Julian and I were both held by the Covenant during the two years I was missing. We worked together...and were romantically involved," she said, and everyone's eyes widened.

"Julian's memory returned first, and he came back to rescue me. My mother had my memories erased, so nothing could ever be extracted from me in the case of my capture. That's why I didn't remember anything."

"When Julian returned to the Covenant to extract me, he discovered that the Covenant had been working on a project...a project that involved Rambaldi and his prophecy," Sydney said. Julian nodded, taking over for her.

"I discovered that the Covenant brought Sydney and I in for more than I had thought. They wanted Sydney, because of her role in the prophecy. Sydney was destined to bear a child who would bring the destruction of the world..." he said, trailing off. The others waited for him to continue in anticipation. He sighed.

"The father of this child has to be a descendant of Milo Rambaldi, and there is only one in existence. I am that man," he said, and the room became silent.

"So, they tried to steal your DNA?" Lauren asked, eyes wide.

"They didn't try. They did steal it. However, Sydney and I destroyed the facility, and any DNA they had taken from us," Julian said.

"Thank God," Will said, but quieted when he noticed the serious look on Sydney's face.

"A new problem has risen," she said quietly.

"What kind of problem, Syd?" Weiss asked.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted.

"What?" Dixon asked, leaning forward.

"Who's the father?" Will asked.

"I'm three months pregnant, and Julian is the father. This child was conceived during a time that we can't remember," Sydney said, her eyes filling with tears. Will stepped over to her, and pulled her into an embrace.

"Sydney, I'm so sorry. We had no idea. This must be so difficult," Will said.

"It is. We thought we stopped the prophecy from being fulfilled, but now we've only helped it along," Sydney said, and Julian nodded.

"That's why it is imperative that Sydney and this child are protected. When the Covenant discovers that she is pregnant, they will stop at nothing to take this child from us. If they succeed in taking the child, they will not hesitate to raise him or her to destroy the world as we know it," Julian said. The others seemed to shake their heads in disbelief.

"I'm just, in shock," Lauren said, looking up at Sydney, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I'm okay. I'm not concerned for myself. I'm worried about our baby," she said, rubbing her stomach protectively. Lauren stood up, and walked to stand in front of Sydney.

"If there is anything I can do for you...please, don't hesitate to ask," she said, and Sydney smiled.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"So what's the plan?" Dixon asked. Julian rubbed his hand over his head quickly.

"The plan as of now is to keep Sydney in hiding until she's had the baby. We will remain here with Irina unless things become unsafe. I have various homes set up around the globe, should we be forced to leave this area. Once Sydney has had the child, and she has recovered, we only have one goal in mind," Julian said. Sydney sighed.

"Besides raising a family," she interjected, squeezing his arm.

"Yes dear," he said smiling, "Besides that, we only have one goal in mind,"

"And that is?" Jack asked curiously. Julian sighed, taking Sydney's hand into his own.

"We're going to take down the Covenant. That's the only way any of us will ever be truly safe."

  


*****

  


Later, Sydney was sprawled on Julian's bed, in a comfortable pair of pajamas her mother had bought for her. Julian couldn't help but marvel at how a woman could make a pair of pink flannel pants look so appealing. He laid next to her, smiling.

"What?" she asked, pulling her hair into a ponytail at the nape of her neck.

"You handled yourself beautifully today Sydney," he said, stroking her cheek. She smiled at the touch, taking a moment to glance over his shirtless body. Of course, she had always noticed how attractive he was, but now...she thought he was an absolutely beautiful man. She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"There was really no other way to handle it. I had to do it," she said, shifting to lay her head on his chest.

"Speaking of things we need to do, you have an appointment to get an ultrasound tomorrow," he said, and she smacked her forehead.

"I totally forgot," she said.

"You've been under a great deal of stress, love. Besides, that's what I'm here for," he said.

"Yes...I mean, what else are you good for?" she asked, giggling. He faked a gasp.

"Sydney, love, I'm appalled. I am the father of your child. I was obviously good for something," he said, smirking. He frowned when Sydney became quiet.

"What's wrong?" he asked, shifting so he could better see her face. She sighed.

"We're risking quite a lot by going to this hospital. What if we're spotted?" she asked. He sighed.

"I've been thinking about that myself, and though it's a risk, we have to make sure you're healthy, and that the baby is alright. If we are compromised, we'll just leave the area," he said, raking his hands softly through her hair, "Anything else that I should know about?" he asked, still getting the sense that something was wrong.

"I wish I could remember...how...when...this baby was conceived," she said, blowing out a breath. He nodded in agreement.

"Me too, love. Me too. However, we have all the time in the world now, to make memories that we'll never forget. Just remember that," he said, and she smiled.

"I will."

"Now, let's get some sleep," he said, slipping a pillow under his head, "we have that appointment early in the morning." He smiled when her head remained on his chest. Her breaths became shorter, and he watched her sleeping until his own eyes grew heavy, and he succumbed to sleep.

  


*****

  


"So, that's really the baby?" Sydney asked, her stomach cold from the fluid that had been spread over it. Julian's hand was clasped in her own, his own eyes wide as he watched the subtle movements of their child.

"Yes," the doctor said, smiling at the couple.

"Is there any way to know the sex at this point, doctor?" Julian asked, glancing at Sydney.

The doctor shook her head.

"It's too early to tell at this point. Just give me a second..." she said, rubbing the small metal object over Sydney's stomach. Julian and Sydney collectively smiled at the sound of a heartbeat, and Julian moved to kiss her forehead. Suddenly though, the heartbeat changed, and an echo could be heard. Sydney's eyes widened in confusion.

"Doctor, why is the heartbeat echoing like that? Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice raising unconsciously. The doctor was silent for a moment, but then her eyes lit up as she turned her attention back to the couple.

"No, actually...nothing's wrong at all. There is something you should know, however," the doctor said. 

"What?" Julian asked, growing a bit impatient.

"Miss Bristow, you're having twins," the doctor said. The couple exchanged a rapid glance, and immediately turned to the doctor.

"What?" Sydney asked, a wide smile appearing over her face.

"Yes. Two heartbeats. Two babies," the doctor said smiling.

"I can't believe it," Julian said, his face contorting in disbelief.

"Neither can I. This is unbelievable," Sydney said, watching the screen, noticing the second baby. 

"I can see it," she said, "Can you see it honey?"

"Yes," he said smiling, though his mind was racing. One thought ran through his mind, while he struggled to be happy about this new development.

This wasn't part of the prophecy.

What game was Rambaldi playing with them?


	17. Chapter Sixteen

"Miss Bristow, you're having twins," the doctor said. The couple exchanged a rapid glance, and immediately turned to the doctor.

"What?" Sydney asked, a wide smile appearing over her face.

"Yes. Two heartbeats. Two babies," the doctor said smiling.

"I can't believe it," Julian said, his face contorting in disbelief.

"Neither can I. This is unbelievable," Sydney said, watching the screen, noticing the second baby. "I can see it," she said, "Can you see it honey?"

"Yes," he said smiling, though his mind was racing. One thought ran through his mind, while he struggled to be happy about this new development.

This wasn't part of the prophecy.

What game was Rambaldi playing with them?

  


*****

  


As Julian threw his keys on the counter, he couldn't help but marvel at the glow that was gracing Sydney's face. Her eyes were shining, her smile was wide and glorious, and as his eyes wandered to her abdomen, he noticed that her hand was caressing the burgeoning bump slowly. Suddenly the hand was reaching toward him, and she placed his hand on her stomach. He smiled at the thought, that beneath her skin were not one, but two growing children. Despite the Rambaldi prophecy, he couldn't help but smile, really. This was all he had ever wanted; a family with the woman he had loved for much of his life.

When he looked up at Sydney again, tears were falling from her beautiful face. He reached up, framing her face with his hands, and wiped her tears away as they came.

"This is never going to end is it?" she asked, breathing heavily between sobs. His heart broke at the question, for more than anything, he wanted to give her a positive answer.

"I wish I could give you an answer, love. But I can't. I would do anything to change this, to never see you cry again. I love you so much, Sydney," he said, a tear running down his left cheek. Sydney smiled softly.

"I know. I'm just so scared," she said, rubbing her stomach again. He moved a hand to place it over hers. He lifted her chin up, forcing her to look into his cerulean eyes.

"Sydney, I will protect you, and our children. Never doubt that. As long as we are together, nothing will happen to you. I promise you that," he said. She smiled again.

"Okay," she whispered quietly. He leaned in to capture her lips with his own, and she responded immediately. Her hands raked over his back, and he lifted her off her feet, carrying her toward his bedroom. She giggled when he pulled his lips off of hers.

"A bit forward, wouldn't you say?" she asked, her eyes bright. He looked toward her stomach and she followed his gaze.

"It's nothing I haven't seen before apparently," he said, smiling.

"True," she said, kissing him again.

When they closed his bedroom door, there was no more talking.

  


*****

  


Hours later, Sydney was still smiling, as was Julian. Things were bittersweet however, seeing that their guests were preparing to leave. Julian had laid out a plan for each individual, should Sydney ever need their help in the case of an emergency. There were tears and embraces from Sydney, while Julian settled on a stiff handshake with each guest. Jack remained at the house, paranoid father that he was. He refused to leave Sydney in her time of need, but Sydney knew, in reality, that he wanted to spend more time with her mother. 

When their guests departed, Sydney breathed a sigh of relief. Though her life with Julian was anything but normal, she could not help but feel safest and most at ease in his presence. Today would be spent in rest, though Julian had errands to run later in the day. Now they were sitting in his bedroom, and while he was working on miscellaneous paperwork, she was paging through a baby-name book that she had acquired.

"What about Joshua?" she asked loudly, still gazing at book.

"What?" he asked.

"Duh, as a name for one of the twins," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, simple. Julian Lazarey Jr., of course," he said, wagging his eyebrows at her. She smirked.

"I love you, but I don't think so..." she said. He dropped his pen on his desk, gasping.

"Any son would be proud to carry my name," he said, and she laughed.

"I'm sure he would. He'll have your last name. Julian is too..." she began.

"What? Too what?" he interrupted, smiling.

"Too...girly. I can see why you didn't want anyone to know your real name," she said, smirking. He bounded toward her, tickling her sides lightly, which sent her in a fit of giggles.

"Julian, stop!" she yelled, laughing, "Stop!"

"That's not what you said...." he began.

"Shut up," she said, kissing his lips softly, and when she pulled away, she pointed to the book, "I'm serious about this Julian. I really want to put some thought into these names." He rolled his eyes, though he did glance at the book.

"We don't even know the sex of the children yet," he said.

"We will soon. And besides, we'll just pick out a few names for each sex. It's not that difficult," she said, smirking at him.

"Fine," he said, smiling at her, "Let's get to it."

  


*****

  


"I've found them," he spoke into the phone quietly.

"Where are they?" his boss asked loudly.

"Small house in Ukraine. I assume it belongs to Derevko,"

"How many in the house?"

"Derevko, Sark...the Bristows...at least twenty guards," the man said, visually assessing the home.

"Wait, Bristows...Jack Bristow is there?" the boss asked again.

"Yes, sir."

"Dammit. He could ruin everything."

"Why is that?"

"Jack is one of the best agents I know. He will stop at nothing to protect his daughter."

"Then, it's imperative that we attack as soon as possible," the man said.

"Yes, you're right," the boss agreed.

"When do you want us to move in?"

"Nightfall. Wait until nightfall. Do not hurt Miss Bristow or Mr. Sark. Do you understand? Relay that message to all of your men," the boss said.

"Understood, sir. I will have a report for you after we have them in our custody. What about Derevko and Mr. Bristow?"

The boss cocked his head to the side, considering his answer for a moment. No one could say he was a rash decision maker. He smiled viciously, stifling a laugh.

"Kill them."


	18. Chapter Seventeen

"I will have a report for you after we have them in our custody. What about Derevko and Mr. Bristow?"

The boss cocked his head to the side, considering his answer for a moment. No one could say he was a rash decision maker. He smiled viciously, stifling a laugh.

"Kill them." 

  


*****

  


Julian had left about a half an hour ago, and Sydney was seated on his balcony, watching the sun go down over the Carpathian mountains. She was sprawled out on rickety old piece of lawn furniture, and she couldn't help but stare in awe at the beauty of the Ukraine.

She took her eyes off the sky to look down at her stomach, which was just beginning to bulge. She sighed at the realization that, because she was pregnant with twins, she would probably be huge. Years ago, when she had been engaged to Danny, she had dismissed the thought of having children, not because she didn't want to, but because she felt that she would never be able to provide a safe haven for her children while she was still involved in the spy life. Now, it was out of her hands.

Perhaps this was destiny's way of telling her that she was meant to be a mother. She was certain that she was going to protect her children, no matter what it cost her. She knew that if it came down to it, Julian could make them all disappear, so they would never be heard from, or bothered again.

Did she really want to live like that though? Hiding from the enemy, but also hiding from the rest of the people she loved? Her children might never get to know their grandparents, or Will...or Weiss...or even Vaughn. Hell, even Lauren. 

She wasn't sure how to feel about Vaughn's wife. At first, she had felt nothing but contempt for the blonde-haired woman. Now, their relationship had changed. Though Sydney was sure that Lauren had only offered her help in order to stay close to her husband, Sydney had to respect her. She had risked a lot by getting involved with their close-knit group of friends. Sydney had decided a long time ago that they were all crazy, herself included.

That fact could be reinforced by the diamond ring that adorned her left ring finger. It was unbelievable that her and Julian were on speaking terms, after all the history they shared together. Instead, they were getting married, preparing to have twins. It astounded and confused her...frightened and excited her all at once.

He was an enigma...Julian...the man she had known for so long as simply Sark. She wondered if he had ever really been as bad as she had thought. She could not remember a time when he had ever really tried to harm her, even in the years that they had been adversaries. He had said it himself, he had been in love with her for years.

And now, she loved him too. He was very much like her, only a bit more jaded. He had faced many of the problems she had...betrayl, lost love, strained parental relationships...she couldn't help but relate with the man. Not to mention, his cerulean eyes, his smile, (or smirk, as it were) his body...she was hooked, really. Besides all of his physical attributes, he really did have a caring heart, as evidenced by his devotion to her and their unborn children.

She looked back to the sky, noticing that it was a deep black, and it was peppered with stars. Her thoughts turned back to Julian, and she sighed just thinking about him, laying back to rest her head on the chair. When she did, a hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her screams. She did not recognize the face of the man who carried her back into Julian's room, as the chloroform had its desired effect, sending her into unconsciousness.

  


*****

  


Julian had seen the men raid the house. He had pulled off the road quickly, glancing around frantically, to make sure none of them were aware of his presence. His thoughts went immediately to Sydney and to their children. He would kill anyone who hurt them.

His next thoughts went to how many men he thought were on the property when he left the house earlier that evening. He could recall seeing two guards at the gate, and two at every door. Though there were several doors into the home, he assessed that were only ten to fifteen men on the property, besides Jack, Irina and Sydney. He could make out about twenty to twenty five men, as they surrounded the house.

He realized that all he would have to do was reach into his pocket and pull out his cell phone, and place a call to his men that were in the nearby village of Slavsko. He cringed at the idea though, remembering his promise to Sydney, that he would leave the life. He fought the guilt that was creeping into his conscience though, as he realized that Sydney would forgive him, if it meant saving her life and the lives of their children. He reached into his pocket, opening the cell phone and dialing quickly.

"Glasco," a voice answered on the other line.

"Mikhail," he said, speaking quietly.

"Sark," the man said, "What can I do for you?"

"Derevko's house is under attack. I need back-up," Julian said, looking out the window at the house, gasping as shots were fired.

"How many men they have?" Mikhail asked.

"I'd say twenty, maybe more," Julian answered.

"How much we talking about?" Mikhail asked, referring to payment.

"My fiancé is inside. We're talking large amounts of money if you can get here and help me take her, and her parents, out of there alive," Julian said, anger rising. The man on the other end seemed to contemplate his answer, and then sighed.

"We're on our way," Mikhail answered quickly, ending the call.

Julian sighed, rubbing his hand against his forehead. He could only pray that the men would not be too late. 

  


*****

  


Sydney woke up to the unpleasant voice of a middle-aged Russian man. She was tied tightly to a chair in Julian's room, and her back ached when she tried to move. She looked down at her stomach, silently trying to communicate with her children that it was alright, and that she was taking care of them.

She kept her eyes relatively closed, so her captor would not know she was awake. She listened as he reached into his pocket, retrieving a cell phone and flipping it open to place a call to, undoubtedly, his boss.

"Yes sir. I have her. She's right in front of me," he said, and then was silenced.

"No, he's not here. We haven't found him yet, at least none of the men have reported seeing him," he said, obviously answering a question about Julian. Sydney's mind raced at the thought of him. Was he safe? Had he returned and tried to fight any of the Covenant's men?

"Yes. Right away. Don't worry sir. We will find him. Derevko and Bristow are in the library. I have asked for the pleasure of killing them myself," the man answered sinisterly. Sydney stifled a cry, knowing she could not blow her cover. 

"Yes. See you soon, Mr. Sloane," the man said, hanging up the phone. Sydney could not cover the sound that escaped her lips at the mention of that name. 

Arvin Sloane.

He was the leader of the Covenant.

He did this to her.

The man in front of her noticed the sound, along with the sudden shaking of her shoulders, and slapped her across the face. Her eyes bolted open ay the sting of the cheap shot. Real tough guy...bet he wouldn't be so tough if she was free from these bounds, kicking his ugly Russian ass.

"Miss Bristow, I see that you've rejoined the living. So pleasant to see you, once again," the man said, his lips curling in a smile.

"Wish I could say the same," she whispered, and when he leaned down to touch her cheek, she spat in his face. When he leaned back to wipe the liquid off his cheek, she couldn't help but smirk at him.

"Touch me again, and I will kill you," she said. The man lunged at her, but was cut short when an object came into contact with his head. Sydney could not see whoever had thrown the object at first, but she smiled when the Russian man fell to the ground before her, giving her view of her savior.

"Julian!" she yelled, as he rushed over to her, untying the ropes that bound her to the chair. She stood up, though she felt like the world was spinning when she did. Before she could fall, Julian was in front of her, steadying her.

"Careful darling," he said, kissing her forehead. She leaned forward, kissing his lips roughly in thanks. When she pulled away, his shortness of breath made her smile.

"Thank you," she said, smiling. He returned the smile, and took her hand in his own, leading her toward the doorway. Sydney gasped when the man lying on the floor grabbed her leg, pulling her down to the floor. She scowled, kicking the man in the face as he moved to stand up. He held his head in pain, and she spun around, kicking him again in the stomach. She turned to Julian, grabbing the gun in the holster beneath his jacket, and shot the man in the chest. As he fell to the floor, blood escaping his body, he looked up at her with a panicked look in his eyes. 

She looked back to Julian, and then to the dying man on the floor. She walked over to him, pressing her foot against his chest.

"I told you what would happen if you touched me again," she said, and when she turned back to Julian, she laughed at the smirk on his face.

"Remind me never to piss you off," he said, laughing. He offered his hand to her, and she took it, smiling.

"We're not so different you and I," she said, smirking. His laughter was heard as they raced down the steps to the bottom floor, eager to check on Jack and Irina.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

Sydney was relieved to find her parents alive and in relatively good condition. Her father had a slight concussion, and her mother had received, ironically another shot in the shoulder. Sydney squeezed Julian's hand after all of Sloane's men had been cleared from the house, in silent thanks, again, for his rescue. He simply smiled, placing his hand over her burgeoning abdomen, so thankful that their children were safe. When his eyes moved to meet Sydney's, he found that the same emotion was present in her own. Tears welled in her brown eyes, and her lower lip quivered slightly.

"I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to them," she said, caressing her stomach slowly. Julian's heart broke at the sound of her cries, and he pulled her to him quickly, stroking her hair with one hand and holding the base of her neck with the other.

"I will never let anything happen to them, or you, for that matter, Syd. It is my job to protect you...to love you...them. Forever. When I promise you that, I mean it," he said, pulling back to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I can't live like this Julian. I can't live in fear that Sloane will try to kill me. There's no doubt in my mind, that with all the searching that his men did, that they know now, that I'm pregnant. He'll never stop looking for me," Sydney whispered, her arms draped loosely around Julian's waist.

"I know. We have to leave this place. I have to take you somewhere that he'll never find you, or the twins. Let me think about it for a few days, okay? In the meantime, we'll go to a home that I have in the Caribbean," he said, smiling. Sydney's eyes lit up at the thought of being near the beach again.

"Really?" she asked, moving her hands to wrap them around her shoulders.

"Really. It will be good for us to rest for a few days. Besides, I have a feeling that after those few days, we won't be seeing any beach for a very long time..." Julian said, trailing off, as he looked at the floor. Sydney pushed up on his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"What is it?" she asked, concern filling her eyes.

"I...this is all my fault," he said, as he fought the tears that were threatening to spill over his eyes. Sydney gasped, and moved her hands to frame his face.

"Honey, this is not your fault," she said, her voice raising unconsciously.

"Sydney, I brought you back into all of this. I should have just let you live your life, apart from me. I was selfish. I love you...I wanted you with me. Now, you're going to be living your life in hiding..." he trailed off, tears finally pouring down his cheeks. Sydney gasped at the sight, having never seen him like this before.

"Julian, even if you hadn't brought me here, I would have eventually discovered that I was pregnant, and I would have found out who the father was...eventually. You told me everything I needed to know. Never regret bringing me here...I love you. I will never regret being with you. Never," Sydney said, her hands shaking his head slightly. He only nodded, and smiled at her through his tears.

"I love you so much. More than you will ever know," he said. She smiled back.

"I love you too."

* * *

  


"When are you leaving?" Jack Bristow asked his daughter, as he watched her pack her suitcase.

"Plane leaves early in the morning," she said, pausing to look back at him.

"And Julian is sure that this beach house is safe?" he asked tentatively. Sydney stopped packing and turned to face him.

"Dad, Julian's mission in life is to keep me and the twins safe. He's taken all the necessary precautions," she said, smirking slightly. Jack rolled his eyes.

"I'm just worried Sydney. I'm a father," he said. Sydney smiled.

"So is he," she said, and Jack sighed.

"I'm still not used to that. I'm not sure if I ever will be," he said. Sydney stepped closer to him, sighing loudly.

"I'm not used to it either. Dad, you and I both know that we don't choose who we love. We just love do," she said, smiling softly. Jack sighed.

"So you really do love him?" he asked. She nodded.

"I do," she said simply. Jack hesitated, but smiled softly as well.

"Then I'll support anything you do," he said, stepping forward to embrace her. Tears began forming in her eyes as she whispered into his shoulder,

"Thank you."

* * *

  


"You have everything you need, sweetheart?" Irina asked as Julian packed Sydney's suitcases into his trunk.

"Yes, mother. I'm positive," she answered, with a slight trace of irritation.

"Alright," Irina answered, glancing down at the ground. Jack stood by her side, and he recognized that Irina was not sure how to handle this goodbye. Truthfully, neither was he. Both of them were out of practice when it came to parenting. Now, it could be years before he would see his daughter again. The sound of Irina's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Sydney..." she trailed off, and Jack was startled by the tears that were forming in his wife's eyes. "I love you so much," she finished, as she stepped forward to embrace her daughter. Sydney was already crying.

"I love you too, mom. Thank you for all you've done for me," she said, pulling away to smile at her. She turned to her father then, and stepped forward to embrace him. Instead of his usual stiff reaction, he held onto her tightly.

"I love you Sydney," he whispered.

"I love you too," she said, pulling away. Julian moved to stand by her side, and he stepped forward to shake Jack's hand. Jack smiled, finally seeming to accept the relationship between this man and his daughter.

"Take care of her," he said, his eyes intense. Julian nodded.

"I will, Mr. Bristow. You can count on that," he said, and then turned to Irina.

"Thank you for taking care of Sydney. I appreciate it," he said, leaning forward to shake her hand. Irina pulled him into an embrace instead.

"I've always thought of you as a son, Julian. Take care of my daughter," she said, pulling away quickly. Julian, obviously surprised by her gesture, only nodded.

"I will," he said. With a final nod to the two people in front of him, he led Sydney to the passenger side of the car, and helped her to climb in. He walked back to the driver's side and did the same, driving the car into the horizon.

Jack and Irina glanced at one another as they realized that this would be the last time they would see her for a long time. They both sighed as they re-entered Irina's home, and prepared to leave for their own destination.

* * *

  


Sydney sighed as she watched the sun disappear beyond the horizon, and smiled when Julian pulled her closer to his chest. She sat on the sand, between his legs, her back to his chest, as they had done for the last six nights they had been in the Caribbean. They both loved the ocean, and wanted to spend every night watching the sun go down, for there was nothing quite as spectacular as the sun setting over the ocean.

"So beautiful," she whispered, and he pressed his chin onto the top of her head softly.

"Yes," he said, "you are." She laughed softly, and tipped her head back.

"You're crazy, but I love you anyway," she said. He laughed, and she realized then how much she loved the sound.

"Good," he said, kissing her nose, "because you have no choice." She laughed, leaning her head back up to look at the horizon.

"I know," she said, and he pulled her even closer to his chest.

"I love you," he said.

"I know. I love you too," she said, smiling, as she stroked his arms that were wrapped protectively around her chest. They sighed simultaneously, and it made Sydney smile. Despite their differences, they were completely in sync.

"If you would have told me a years ago that we would be here, I would have laughed in your face," she said, and he smirked slightly.

"Tell me about it. You were so infuriating back then," he said, laughing loudly. She turned around, wrapping her legs around his mid-section.

"Infuriating? Me? What about you Mr. Lazarey? You were such a..."she trailed off, and his eyes danced.

"What? Such a what, Miss Bristow?" he asked playfully, kissing her forehead softly. Her eyes closed at the touch.

"I suddenly forget," she said, smiling. She opened her eyes again, and leaned forward to kiss his lips softly. When she pulled away, his eyes had become serious, and she looked at him questioningly.

"I'm going to protect you," he said. She nodded, smiling at him.

"I know. I have no reason to doubt you, Julian. I love you," she said. He smiled softly, then pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?" she asked, and he pulled away to look at her, his blue eyes beautiful in the twilight.

"For all of that. Loving me. Thank you," he said. She smiled, and then moved to a standing position. She held her hand to him, and smiled.

"Let's go inside," she said. He looked at her questioningly.

"This is our last night here. We've seen enough of the beach. I want to go inside with my future husband," she said, smiling mischievously. His eyes danced, and he grinned devilishly. 

"You don't have to ask me twice, Bristow," 


	20. Conclusion

He took her to a remote location, one where Arvin Sloane, or his men in the Covenant, could never find her. He hired the best chefs, assistants and doctors that money could buy. He waited on her hand and foot, and made sure that she was content, every moment of the next five months. He could not help it...he was in love with Sydney Bristow.

The second to last change in their relationship occurred when they were married, two months after their disappearance from society. Jack Bristow and Irina Derevko were notified of the union, but could not be in attendance. They were in a safe location, struggling to work through their problems and many differences. Jack was learning to trust Irina again, and she was learning to tell the truth. It was not easy for either of them.

Julian, however, was in bliss. They were married in small church, by a priest he knew he could trust never to reveal their whereabouts, or their marriage. Of course, Arvin Sloane would discover what had happened soon enough, for he had a way of uncovering all secrets, but Julian wanted to revel in his own joy for a while.

Sydney was just beginning to blossom at the time of their marriage. When he said that he would love her forever, he could not help but smile when he glanced down at her burgeoning abdomen. Now five months pregnant, her stomach stood out like a sore thumb from the rest of her slender body. He smiled when she vowed to love him forever, in sickness and in health...against all odds. He knew that she meant it by the way her brown eyes sparkled, and he noticed, perhaps for the first time, that her eyes had a little green in them.

After they were married, they settled into the life of a married couple easily, despite the threat of the Covenant that still loomed over their heads. They both realized, without speaking a word, that it was far from over. They knew that this was only the calm before the storm. Neither of them knew how long they would be allowed to live in peace, but they would cherish every moment.

When Julian felt it was safe, and had clearance from the guards surrounding the property, he would lead Sydney out of the house, and they walked around the grounds, hand in hand, talking and laughing. They talked about their wishes for the twins, despite the overwhelming concept that their children's destinies had been predetermined. There was the unspoken confusion of the prophecy, which had only spoken of one child. The question echoed in their heads: Which child would it be?

Three months passed and they were happy with the lives that Julian had created for them. They were no longer Julian and Sydney Lazarey. Those names were simply too risky. They easily became William and Amena Atherton, both born and raised in a small village in England. Julian had chosen the name for Sydney because it meant 'Honest Woman', and that was probably why he loved her so. 

He was surprised and remarkably, frightened when his wife went into premature labor in the beginning of her eighth month. Twelve hours later, a daughter and a son were born, in that order. Anna Elizabeth Atherton was an hour older than her brother Nicholas Aidan Atherton. Julian smirked at the thought of Anna as an older child, poking fun at her brother because he was younger. When he glanced up at his wife as she held onto them tightly, he couldn't help thinking that he had never seen her look more beautiful than at that moment.

* * *

  


The twins were taken to the nursery, and Julian smiled when he was notified that they had both fallen asleep as soon as they were laid down to rest. He stepped over to where his wife was resting.

"Honey," she whispered quietly.

"Yeah," he said. She sat up a bit, calling him by the name he had not heard in quite a while.

"Julian," she whispered, grasping his hand in her own, "Thank you for holding my hand." Julian smiled, despite the simplicity of her thanks.

"Anytime, dear. That's what I'm here for...forever," he said, smiling. Sydney smiled back, but it soon faded into a frown he never wanted to see again.

"This will never end," Sydney said, looking toward the door. Julian sighed, lifting her hand to kiss it softly.

"It will end Syd. It's our responsibility to raise them right, and then release them into the world. We can't fight destiny. Look at us. You never would have married me, let alone let me live, if it hadn't been for Milo Rambaldi," he said, laughing ironically. She sighed, her lips curling into a soft smile.

"Yeah. I suppose we could thank him for some things," she said. Julian's eyes glowed at the sight of her smile, and she shuddered when she noticed determination in his eyes.

"I will protect you, and our children, no matter what it takes Sydney. I made a promise to myself that I would make sure that you would never cry again. Never," he said. She smiled at the statement, cupping his cheek in her hand.

"I love you," she said simply.

"And I love you."

* * *

  


A month later, 'Amena' and the children were home, and 'William' made sure that they were as comfortable as possible. The first night that the twins were at home, safe in their cribs, he watched them as they slept, in absolute awe of the lives he had a hand in creating.

They looked nearly identical, with dark, glossy hair like their mother's, and blue eyes that were clearly inherited from him. He marveled at their miniature hands and feet, touching them softly. He imagined them as toddlers, as teenagers, as adults...he concocted their personalities in his head. He predicted what they would like, what they would hate, what they would argue about...the loyalty they would feel toward each other, forever.

His dreams were interrupted when he felt the familiar touch of his wife's hand, as it rested on his shoulder. He could almost feel her smiling, and when he turned around he found that he was right.

"You're going to wake them up," she said, putting a finger over his mouth before he could speak. He kissed her finger softly, and allowed her to lead him from the room, and he reached back and closed the door behind him quietly. 

"I was doing the same thing earlier," she whispered, leading him to their kitchen.

"Doing what?" he asked, trying to appear innocent.

"Imagining what they'll be like," she said, smiling wistfully. He smirked, squeezing her hand softly.

"How did you know?" he asked, as he let go of her hand. He watched her as she poured them both a cup of coffee, and then sat down next to her at their kitchen table.

"I know you, Ju...William," she said, catching herself.

"It's okay. Call me by my name," he said, smiling.

"Julian," she said, sighing, "I miss calling you that."

"I miss calling you Sydney," he said, then adding, "It will be over someday, Syd. I promise you. It will be over."

Moments passed at they sipped on their coffee in silence, but Sydney smirked when she noticed a mischievous gleam in Julian's eyes.

"What?" she asked. He stood up suddenly, putting his hand out before her.

"I was thinking, we never had a dance...at our wedding. Our relationship is anything but normal," he said. She took his hand, nodding in response.

"Right," she said.

"I just want to dance with my wife. I think it's long overdue," he said, smiling, as he kissed her hand. He led her to the middle of their living room, and left her for a moment to turn on their stereo. Sydney smiled as a soft melody floated through the room.

For you, there'll be no more crying,  
For you, the sun will be shining,  
And I feel that when I'm with you,  
It's alright, I know it's right  
  
To you, I'll give the world  
to you, I'll never be cold  
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you,  
It's alright, I know it's right.

Sydney smiled as she danced in her husband's arms, stroking his back softly. He ran his hands over her face and through her hair. He kissed her forehead softly, whispering in her ear.

"Forget everything Sydney. All that matters now, is you and me," he said. The melody continued around them.

And the songbirds are singing,  
Like they know the score,  
And I love you, I love you, I love you,  
Like never before.  
  
And I wish you all the love in the world,  
But most of all, I wish it from myself.  
  
As a beautiful piano melody floated throughout the room, Sydney looked up at her husband, lost in his soulful blue eyes. She saw truth, peace, love...everything that she had ever wanted in life.

And the songbirds keep singing,  
Like they know the score,  
And I love you, I love you, I love you,  
Like never before, like never before.

Sydney smiled as the song ended, pulled away from him, and placed a kiss on his lips.

"I love you," she whispered softly.

"I love you too. Everything's going to be alright," he said, pulling her into a tight embrace. 

As they continued to sway even after the music had ended, they nearly forgot about the prophecy, about Rambaldi...about Sloane. They nearly forgot who they were pretending to be...who their twins would become. They simply couldn't think about all of that now. There would be plenty of time to worry about that later. For now, they were safe in one another's arms, and their twins were newborn babies, content and completely harmless...asleep in their cribs.

For now.

THE END

A/N...The song credit belongs to Fleetwood Mac...the song is called Songbird. Beautiful song.  


  
  



End file.
